Grammar Talks B1-04 Would for Past Tense

Valentine's Day Memories

Mel and Doron disucss a romantic holiday.
image

Mel: So, Doron, what did you do last Valentine's Day?

Doron: Last Valentine's day I got disappointed I think, cause I teach at university, and I'd heard that Japanese students always give their teachers loads and loads of chocolate, and even though it was my fifth year, and every other year I only got like two or three, I was still really excited cause I'm at university now and I got two chocolate bars.

Mel: Oh, really?

Doron: How, about you? Are you looking forward to it this year?

Mel: I'm planning on going to Korea with my co-workers to escape the Valentine's Day.

Doron: To escape?

Mel: Atmosphere, yes.

Doron: You're not a fan then?

Mel: I like Valentine's Day, but I don't plan on celebrating it this year. Is Valentine's Day big in England?

Doron: I haven't lived in England for awhile now, about ten years. When I was a kid, it was big in school, like in junior school, and we used to have a little Valentine's post box in your class where you could write little messages to your classmates and then you put it in the box and it'd get delivered.

Mel: Oh, in a box?

Doron: Yeah, in a little Valentine's post box.

Mel: Oh, cool.

Doron: The teacher would deliver them.

Mel: Did you only get notes or did you get candy as well?

Doron: No, it was just notes. In England we don't really give candy and chocolate and presents to people. We just give letters, unless it's like a boyfriend or a girlfriend or something. But when you are seven, you don't really bother.

Mel: Well, the thing I liked about Valentine's Day as a kid was that you'd get Valentine's Day cards from everyone, but I was always curious to see what the boy I liked wrote to me.

Doron: Did you know who wrote what to you?

Mel: Yeah, they would sign their name on the card.

Doron: What? They sign names?

Mel: Yeah, it'd be like. Happy Valentine's Day Adam.

Doron: Oh, in England I don't think you don't put your name. Even if you know who it's from. You know it's from your girlfriend, or your best friend, or your grandma, or something, I think you just put a big question mark.

Mel: Really?

Doron: It's half the fun. You have to figure it out.

Mel: But my favorite Valentine's Day gift is always from my mom.

Doron: She gives you a gift every year.

Mel: She'll send me gifts in the mail, and when I was in elementary school, she would hide chocolates and stuff in my desk. It was awesome.

Doron: That's brilliant.

Mel: Yeah.

Doron: I don't remember getting any really really cool Valentine's presents. I remember giving a couple. I was dating a girl who lived in Norway when I was at university in England and so for Valentine's Day is the same ... I think her birthday was February the 11th or something.

Mel: Oh, yeah.

Doron: So, I just flew over. I e-mailed like her best friend who I knew quite well as well and he picked me up at the airport I and flew over to Norway.

Mel: Yeah.

Doron: And in Norway, it's a very safe country, so they don't really lock their doors a bit like Japan, and he just drove me down to the house and I walked in at like nine in the morning, and she just came down stairs and she nearly died. She thought I was a ghost.

Mel: Yeah. That would be scary but fun.

Doron: Scary but fun. That's what she said when she could talk.

Mel: Yeah, so it was a double birthday, Valentine's Day gift.

Doron: Exactly.

Would - Past Tense

Point 1: Use the modal would to talk about activites you often did in the past, but no longer do.

(Q) As a kid on the farm, what did you do?
(A) I did a lot. I would ride horses.
(N) I wouldn't stay inside.

(Q) Where would you play?
(A) I would play in the garden.
(N) I wouldn't see anyone.

Point 2: Use would to for things you did often. Use the simple past for actions you just did once.

(Q) Who did you talk to as a kid?
(A) I talked with my friends.
(A) We would talk for hours.
(N) I wouldn't say much.

Point 3: We use 'd as a contraction for would in spoken English.

(Q) When would you get up?
(A) I'd wake up very early.
(N) I'd never sleep in.

Note: Do not use the contraction in short answers.

(Q) Would you go to town?
(A) Yes, I would sometimes.
(N) No, wouldn't usually.

Point 4: We use used to to introduce an action we no longer do, and then switch to would for related actions.

I used to play soccer a lot. I would play from morning till night.
I used to get in trouble a lot. I would make my teacher so made.
I used to have a motorcycle. I would ride it for hours.

Answer the following questions about the interview.

Begginer A1 Conversations as listening lessons with natural English for ESL students.
Begginer A2 Conversations as listening lessons with natural English for ESL students.
Begginer B1 Conversations as listening lessons with natural English for ESL students.

Free Courses from ELLLO

One Minute English Videos

Free Courses from ELLLO