A
When I was a child, I played in the street every evening.
a) Used to and would are both possible.
This describes a repeated past action in a finished time period. Both used to play and would play work.
I lived in a small village near the beach.
b) Only used to is possible.
This describes a past state (stative verb: live in the sense of residence). Would cannot be used for past states.
My grandfather told us stories every night before bedtime.
a) Used to and would are both possible.
Repeated past action. Both used to tell and would tell are correct.
I had a dog called Rex.
b) Only used to is possible.
Have (possession) is stative. We can say used to have, but not would have in this meaning.
We went to Spain every summer.
a) Used to and would are both possible.
Repeated action in the past. Both structures are fine.
She was very shy as a teenager.
b) Only used to is possible.
Be is a stative verb. We can say used to be, but not would be to describe past personality traits.
When I was younger, I played football after school.
a) Used to and would are both possible.
Repeated action in the past. Both used to play and would play work.
I lost my passport while I was travelling in Spain.
c) No substitution is possible.
Single completed event with a specific context.
😈
Lose -100
He believed that hard work solved everything.
b) Only used to is possible.
Believe is stative. Would believe changes meaning (conditional/hypothetical).
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Lose -200
When we were at university, we stayed up talking until 3 a.m. most nights.
a) Used to and would are both possible.
Clearly repeated past behaviour. Both used to stay and would stay are natural.
We often argued about politics at family dinners.
a) Used to and would are both possible.
Repeated action in the past.
I saw her regularly at conferences in those days.
a) Used to and would are both possible.
Repeated past meetings.
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get 400
I forgot to lock the door that night.
c) No substitution is possible.
Refers to a specific period/situation rather than a repeated habit.
I knew his sister very well.
b) Only used to is possible.
Know is stative. We can say used to know, not would know.
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rob 100 from another group
He seemed more confident back then.
b) Only used to is possible.
Seem expresses a state. Would seem does not work in this context.
She owned several restaurants before she retired.
b) Only used to is possible.
Own is stative. Would own is not possible.
I always thought he was exaggerating.
b) Only used to is possible.
Think (opinion state) is stative here. Would think changes meaning (conditional).
I realised too late that I was wrong. There was nothing I could do about that.
c) No substitution is possible.
Single moment of awareness.
Whenever the topic of money came up, he changed the subject immediately.
a) Used to and would are both possible.
Repeated reaction to a recurring trigger.
I knew exactly what he was planning to do and I had to stop him.
c) No substitution is possible.
Stative verb + specific situation. Not a repeated habit.
She didn't believe anyone who offered help too quickly.
b) Only used to is possible.
believe expresses a state/attitude. Would believe changes meaning (it suggests a conditional or predictive meaning rather than a past state).