Page 41 - Advanced English Grammar in Use

T h e f u t u r e s e e n f r o m t h e p a s t ( w a s g o i n g t o , e t c . )

There are a number of ways of talking about an activity or event that was in the future at a
particular point in the past. In order to express this idea, we can use the past tenses of the verb
forms we would normally use to talk about the future (will - would, is going to - was going to, is
leaving - was leaving, is to talk - was to talk, etc.). Compare the following sentences:

The future from now... The future from the past...
• The new computer will arrive next week. • Our computer was broken and we hoped
the new one would arrive soon.
• I'm going to grow tomatoes and carrots • During the winter I decided that I was
this summer. going to grow tomatoes and carrots
when the summer came.
• I'm collecting my mother from the station n • I left the meeting early because I was
this afternoon. • collecting my mother at 3.30.
• As it's raining, I think I'll be going home • Jane she said that she would be going
by taxi. home by taxi because of the rain.
• The exam will have finished by 3 o'clock, • The exam was so easy that most people
so I'll see you then. would have finished after 30 minutes.
• The Prime Minister has announced that • I was on holiday in Greece when I heard
there is to be an election on May 1st. there was to be an election back home.
• The workers are to be transferred to a • She was given a tour of the factory where
new factory on the outskirts of town. she was later to be transferred.
• The performance is about to begin. Please • The performance was about to begin
take your seats, ladies and gentlemen. when someone started screaming.

The context in which these forms are used will often indicate whether the activity or event did or
did not happen, although in some cases we may not know whether the activity or event happened
or not. Compare:
• I was seeing Jim later that day, but I had to phone and cancel. (= I didn't see Jim)
• I didn't phone to break the news to him because we were seeing each other later. He was
very upset when I told him. (= we saw each other)
• They left the house at 6.00 am and would reach Edinburgh some 12 hours later. (= they
reached Edinburgh)
• He was sure that the medical tests would show that he was healthy. (= we don't know
whether he was healthy or not)

Compare was/were to + infinitive and was/were to have + past participle used to talk about an
activity or event that was in the future at a particular point in the past:
« A t the time she was probably the best actor in the theatre company, but in fact some of her
colleagues were to become much better known.
• He was to find out years later that the car he had bought was stolen.
• I was to have helped with the performance, but I got flu the day before.
• There was to have been a ban on smoking in restaurants, but restaurant owners have forced
the council to reconsider.
When we use was/were to + infinitive we are talking about something that did actually happen.
When we use was/were to have + past participle we are talking about something that had been
arranged, but did not happen.