Expressions used to and would for past repeated actions

When we talk about things that happened in the past but don’t happen anymore we use words used to and would.

We use used to to talk about past states and repeated past actions:

The pattern is:

• Used to + verb

• He used to eat fast food in the childhood.

• We used to visit brother when I was a child.

• I used to smoke but I gave up a few years ago.

Would is used for repeated past actions only:

• Every Wednesday, I would go to London.
• My teachers would always say “Sit down and shut up!”

Provided that we discuss activities, both variants (‘would’ or ‘used to’) are possible.

• Every Wednesday I would go to London.
• Every Wednesday I used to go to London.

If we talk only about past states, we use used to:

Right:

• We used to live in New York when I was a kid.

Wrong:

• We would live in New York when I was a kid.