[D] We Used To Have Playdates With Our Little Ones

LET'S READ! 📖

Direction: Read the conversation below. Then, exchange roles with your mentor.

Mothers

Icon_Marie

Marie

Hi, Belle! Long time no see! How's your family doing?

Icon_Belle

Belle

Hi, Marie! It's been a while indeed. Well, we've been keeping busy with family life. You know, the usual routines and all. The kids are growing up so fast.

Icon_Marie

Marie

I can imagine! How's little Emma?

Icon_Belle

Belle

Oh, she's not so little anymore! She used to be this tiny baby, and now she's running around the house and talking non-stop. It's amazing how time flies.

Icon_Marie

Marie

I remember when we used to have those playdates with our little ones. Our kids would be so engrossed in their toys.

Icon_Belle

Belle

Yes, those were fun times! They would always find something to laugh about or get into mischief together. Now, they've all grown up a bit, and their interests have changed.

Icon_Marie

Marie

I used to struggle to get my kids to eat their vegetables. It was always a challenge.

Icon_Belle

Belle

I know what you mean. I would try all sorts of tricks to get Emma to eat her greens. But now, she's become more conscious of her choices and even helps me with cooking sometimes.

Icon_Marie

Marie

That's great to hear! And how about your weekends? Do you still go on those spontaneous family outings like we used to?

Icon_Belle

Belle

Not as often as we'd like, but we still try to make time for family adventures. Life gets so busy with school, work, and other commitments. But we would go for hikes or picnics occasionally.

QUESTION

1. What did Marie and Belle use to do together with their little ones?

2. How has Emma's attitude towards eating vegetables changed?

LET'S UNDERSTAND! 📚

Used to VS Would

We use 'would' and 'used to' to describe something that happened regularly in the past but doesn't happen any longer, as shown in the following two sentences about quitting smoking:

Example:

I used to smoke, but I quit last year.
Whenever I craved a cigarrette, I would chew gum instead.

🔺 Would only talks about past habits when the time frame is specified in the sentence.

Example:

I would play basketball when I was 10.
When I was younger, I would watch my favorite movie on repeat.

🔺 Used to talks about routines that stopped occurring in the past but we can use this with or without specific time frame.

Example:

I used to play basketball.
I used to watch my favorite movie on repeat.

🔺 Would for past habits is slightly more formal than used to. It is often used in stories. When we want to talk about a situation or a certain state in the past, we use 'used to'. Note that we cannot use 'would' in this case since we are using stative verbs such as love, feel, live, feel, be, know, etc.

Example:

When I was younger, I used to live in California.
When I was younger, I ~~would~~ live in California.

NOTES

We can use stative verbs with 'would' only in conditional sentences
Example:

I would understand if you explain it to me.

LET'S PRACTICE! 📝

A. Direction: Reflect on the changes in your life over the years. Create sentences using use to or would.

Teenage Years

Adulthood

B. Direction: Listen to the dialogue and identify at least five past habits of the speakers.

Jess and Amy's Past Habits