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2.3. The other past tense
2.3.1. "Used to" and "would"

"Used to" express the past habitualness and is like the auxiliary verb. It means that the habitualness is not obviously seen in the present. See the following examples.

(18)
a. I used to play soccer.
b. There used to be a post office.
c. I used to like oranges.

(18a) means s/he does not play it now. (18b) means the post office is not seen there now, and other buildings might be built.
(18c) means s/he does not like oranges now.

Moreover, the stative verbs can be used with "used to" although the action verbs are often used because of the habitual meaning. "Would" which is explained later can not be used with them.
See the following figure of "used to."

(19)


The above is the same as the past tense naturally. M is put at the past although the past time adverbials are not in (18). It is natural and it also has another meaning that "used to" itself includes the definite past, that is, emphasizes it.
Thus, it does not usually need the adverbials.


Time feeling


Now, we can also use "would" which is similar to "used to." But it does not emphasize the past and it is used to recall the past event usually. See (18) again in (20) below.

(20)
a. I used to play soccer.
b. There used to be a post office.
c. I used to like oranges.

If "would" is used instead of "used to" in the above, they are as follows.

(21)
a. I would play soccer when I was a high school student.
b. *There would be a post office.
c. *I would like oranges.

"*" means unacceptable, because the stative verbs are not used with "would."
Moreover, the definite past adverbial is put in (21a) because it does not emphasize the past. See the following examples.

(22)
a. I used to go skiing every Sunday in winter.
b. I would go skiing every Sunday in winter when I was a child.

The above is the same. The next is the time representation.

(23)


It is natural that both of them is the same. But they have the different meaning that "used to" includes the objectivity and "would" includes the subjectivity. See the following examples.

(24)
a. He used to spend every penny he earned on books.
b. He would spend every penny he earned on books.
(Kashino : 1999)

(24b) means the speaker's surprising etc. because of "would." But (24a) does not because of "used to." Therefore, the beginning of a context, "used to" is preferred to "would."


Time feeling






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