In this lesson, you will learn some different ways to express past habits, states, intentions, and plans.
Past Habits and States
There are a few different ways to describe things in the past that are no longer true.
Used to
You can use used to followed by the base form of the main verb to talk about past habits (regular, repeated past actions) that don’t happen anymore. Note that used to always refers to the past and can be used with or without a specific past time reference.
- Colin used to collect comic books when he was a teenager; he had hundreds of them.
- My mother used to follow the local news quite closely, but I’m not sure if she still does.
- I used to play on the local hockey team.
Used to can also be used to talk about past states or situations that are now finished.
- I used to live in Toronto before I moved to Mexico City.
- There used to be a park where those condos are now.
- I used to have a beautiful green bike
The negative form of used to can also be used. However, rather than a past habit or state that doesn’t happen or isn’t true in the present, it expresses a present habit or state that didn’t happen or wasn’t true in the past. Note that you form the negative by using the auxiliary verb didn't followed by use to not used to.
- I didn't use to spend so much time at home, but now I stay home almost every night.
- I didn't use to work out as much back then.
It is also common to form the negative using the adverb never when you want to emphasize the contrast between past and present.
- Buying a house never used to be this expensive.
Be careful! Do not confuse this use of used to with get/be used to.
Would
Would followed by the base form of the main verb can also be used to describe past habits that are now finished. It is a little more formal than used to and is most often used when telling stories. Would generally requires a clear past time reference when used for this function.
- When I was growing up, my father would leave for work at 6:45 sharp every morning.
- Many years ago, people would have milk delivered daily right to their door
- Before they extended the subway system, most people who lived in the suburbs would drive to work.
Note that we don’t usually use the negative or question form of would when talking about past habits.
Would cannot be used to describe past states.
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Incorrect
I would live in Toronto before I moved to Mexico City. (live is a state, not an action) -
Incorrect
There would be a park where those condos are now. (be is a state, not an action) -
Incorrect
I would have a beautiful green bike. (have is a state, not an action)
Past Simple
Of course, the past simple can also be used to describe past habits or states. However, the past simple by itself doesn’t emphasize the regular, repeated, or continuing nature of the past habit or state in the same way as used to or would, and it also doesn’t make it as clear that the habit or state is no longer true. Note that a specific past time reference is needed when you use the past simple in this way.
- My grandfather smoked for twenty five years before he finally quit.
- We played tennis at Central Park every weekend until they permanently closed the courts last October.
- I lived in Toronto before I moved to Mexico City.
Past Plans and Intentions
In Grammar 2-2, you saw how to use different verbs to express plans in the future. Those verbs—as well as some others—can also be used to talk about plans and intentions in the past.
Meant, planned, and intended
These verbs can be used to talk about plans or intentions that were made in the past but were unfulfilled (did not end up happening). They are followed by an infinitive verb.
- I meant to go back and visit my old neighbourhood when I was in town, but I ran out of time.
- The city planned to build a new bridge to replace the old one. In the end, they decided to repair the old one instead.
- The food was intended to feed the whole staff, but there wasn’t nearly enough for everyone.
As mentioned in Grammar 3-1, these verbs have two different negative forms. If the main verb (meant, planned, or intended) is negative, it means that there was no plan or intention. Generally, this is used to show that something was an accident, regret, or disappointment.
- They didn’t plan to stay at the restaurant so long, but they were having fun and lost track of time.
- I didn’t intend to get distracted, but I did. That’s why I couldn’t finish my work.
- John didn’t mean to hurt her. I think he’s sorry that he made her cry.
In contrast, if the infinitive is negative, then there was a plan or intention to avoid or not do something.
- I planned not to get distracted and finish my work by 3 PM.
- With final exams coming up, my classmates intended not to waste the whole weekend doing nothing.
- Because we meant not to spend so much money on our vacation, we made a budget beforehand.
Be thinking of or be thinking about
Be thinking of or be thinking about can also express past intentions that were never fulfilled. When we use these structures, there is a sense that the intentions were just ideas and no decision had been made as to whether they would happen or not at the past time being referred to. They are followed by verbs in the gerund form.
- Tony and his cousin were thinking of driving across the country last summer until they decided to go to Mexico instead.
- I was thinking about moving out of the city, but, to be honest, I didn’t want to have such a long commute to work.
Be about to
Similarly, we can also use be about to in the past. It can be used to express events that came close to occurring but did not. It is followed by a base verb.
- Petra was about to leave the store when she found the book she had been looking for.
- It’s a good thing you spoke up because the instructor was about to mark you absent.
Like its future meaning, it can also describe something that was imminent, or very close to happening at some point in the past.
- We were about to start the exam, so our teacher asked us to put our cell phones away.
- The flight attendant asked us to return to our seats because the plane was about to land.
Be supposed to
The past form of be supposed to can also describe past plans and intentions. This structure tells us that this was the agreed plan, but that plan didn’t happen as expected. Again, it is followed by a base verb.
- We were supposed to meet in front of the station at 7:00 AM, but they were a few minutes late.
- We were supposed to have dinner together last week, but he ended up cancelling on me.
Be careful! Be supposed to can also be used to describe past obligations.
- I knew my parents would be angry because I wasn’t supposed to use my smartphone after 10:00 PM.
- All visitors to the park were supposed to respect the rules and not feed the ducks.