Looking Back at Family Traditions

Choose the best form: used to, would, or past simple. Think about childhood, holidays, and family memories.

Read the sentence. Say the best form, then turn the card over.

Every Sunday, we ___ visit my grandmother.: would
My family ___ live in a small village when I was five.: used to
Every summer, my father ___ make ice cream.: would
In 2019, we ___ move to a new apartment.: past simple
At New Year, my cousins ___ stay until midnight.: would
I ___ have a favourite blue toy as a child.: used to
Last Christmas, my aunt ___ bring a new card game.: past simple
After school, we ___ play outside near our house.: would
Our old school ___ be next to the park.: used to
One winter, it ___ snow for three days.: past simple

Forms for Past Memories

Form	Use	Example
used to + base verb	an old habit or state that is not true now	We used to live near Grandmother’s house.
would + base verb	a repeated past action	Every summer, we would play outside.
past simple	one finished event or a finished past time	Last year, we watched family photos.

Connect each description with the best form

Look for a state, a repeated action, or one finished event.

Connect each description with the best form.

a childhood home near the sea: used to — old state
a weekly visit to Grandmother's house: would — repeated action
one special holiday in 2022: past simple — finished event
a regular card game after dinner: used to — old habit

Notice the time clues

Connect each time phrase with its meaning.

Connect each time phrase with its grammatical meaning.

when I was little: old state or habit in childhood
every summer: repeated past action
last Saturday: one finished event
in those days: old state or habit in a past period

Put the Sunday tradition in sequence

Arrange the family’s usual Sunday routine.

Put the Sunday tradition in a logical order.

The family arrived at Grandmother's house.
Grandmother made a big dinner.
Everyone ate together.
The cousins played cards after dinner.
The family went home in the evening.

Put the childhood memory in order

Arrange the events from one visit to Grandmother’s house.

Put the childhood-story events in order.

We arrived at Grandmother's house in the afternoon.
She used to make a big dinner for everyone.
We would play cards after dinner.
At ten o'clock, we went home.

Complete the family memories

Use the visible verb cue and the time clue.

My family [___] near my grandmother, but we do not live there now.
Every Sunday, we [___] Grandmother’s house when I was young.
Every summer, my cousins and I [___] outside together.
Last year, we [___] old family photos after dinner.

A Winter Holiday Memory

Listen once for the main idea. Listen again for details.

Where did the family used to go every December?
What did Grandma Rosa make?
What would Grandfather do?
How is the family tradition different now?

Then and Now

Say three differences.

People used to dress differently.
Children would play outside more.
In the modern photo, they ...

Your Childhood Story

Talk about your childhood for about one minute.

Include:

One old habit
One old state
One repeated summer action
One specific past event

Part of your story	Useful language
Old habit	When I was young, I used to ...
Old state	My family used to ...
Summer action	Every summer, I would ...
One memory	One year, I ...
Change now	Now, we ... / Life changed because ...

Use words such as tradition, holiday, cousin, outside, together, cards, or family photos.

Traditions in My Family

Write 50–100 words about past and present family traditions.

Include:

at least two sentences with used to
one sentence with would
one sentence in the past simple
one sentence about life now

Plan your paragraph
Past place: ____________________
Past food or activity: ____________________
Repeated action: ____________________
One memory: ____________________
Tradition now: ____________________

Useful phrases:

My family used to meet at ...
We used to have a big dinner ...
Every holiday, my grandmother would ...
Every summer, my cousins and I would ...
One year, we ...
Now, our tradition is different because ...

Check before you finish:

used to / would + base verb
a clear time expression
full stops and capital letters
a present-day contrast

What to Remember

used to + base verb: an old habit or state that changed
would + base verb: a repeated past action
past simple: one finished event or a finished past time
Do not use would for old states such as live, be, or have.

Connect each form with its use

Connect each form with its use.

used to: old habit or state that changed
would: repeated past action
past simple: one finished past event

For next time

Write six sentences about an older family member’s childhood:

two sentences with used to
two sentences with would
two sentences in the past simple

Bring one question to ask about a family tradition that changed.

Looking Back at Family Traditions

Choose the best form: used to, would, or past simple. Think about childhood, holidays, and family memories.

Read the sentence. Say the best form, then turn the card over.

Every Sunday, we ___ visit my grandmother.: would
My family ___ live in a small village when I was five.: used to
Every summer, my father ___ make ice cream.: would
In 2019, we ___ move to a new apartment.: past simple
At New Year, my cousins ___ stay until midnight.: would
I ___ have a favourite blue toy as a child.: used to
Last Christmas, my aunt ___ bring a new card game.: past simple
After school, we ___ play outside near our house.: would
Our old school ___ be next to the park.: used to
One winter, it ___ snow for three days.: past simple

Forms for Past Memories

Form	Use	Example
used to + base verb	an old habit or state that is not true now	We used to live near Grandmother’s house.
would + base verb	a repeated past action	Every summer, we would play outside.
past simple	one finished event or a finished past time	Last year, we watched family photos.