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FUTURE IN THE PAST

Writer's picture: TCTC

Updated: Jan 29

-       used a lot in narrations of past events

When we talk about the past, we sometimes want to refer to something which was in the future at the time we were speaking. It is often used to talk about plans, expectations, or predictions that someone had in the past, but which at the time of the speaking were still in the future.

 

WAS/WERE GOING TO

The last time we talked, Mary was going to a job interview the following day.

(past form of Mary is going to…)

 

Carol apologized she was going to visit us, but her car had a flat tyre.

(past form of She is going to visit us..)

 

I was just going to cross the street when a car crashed into another one next to me.

(past form of I am just going to…)

 

 

WOULD

They called to let us know they would not be joining us for the trip.

(past form of will – they will not be joining us)


Last year, I knew I would finish my story by now.


My grandma promise that she would bake her signature quark pie for me.

 

Most of Marleen’s family was killed during the war. Because of the trauma Marleen would not return back to her country until 20 years later.

 

 

Changes:

Will --> would

Is going to --> was going to

Are going to --> were going to

 

 

Usage in Real Life

1.   Storytelling: The Future in the Past is commonly used in stories to describe

what characters thought, planned, or expected at earlier moments in the

narrative.

Example: He knew that one day he would return to his hometown and

make amends.


2.   Reporting Events: In news or biographical writing, you may need to report

what someone expected or planned in the past.

Example: The team believed they would win the championship, but they

were disappointed by the result.


3.   Recounting Conversations: When recounting past conversations, you often

describe what people said they were going to do or what they expected.

Example: You said you were going to take that job, but I heard you

changed your mind.


Online practice:


1: Change the following sentences from the present to the future in the past.

  1. She thinks she will finish the project by Monday.

  2. I am going to visit my grandparents this weekend.

  3. They believe the weather will improve by tomorrow.

  4. He plans to move to New York next year.

  5. I know that she will win the competition.


2) Read the text and fill in the gaps with the correct form of the verb in the future in the past.


Text: Last year, I was preparing for a big presentation. At first, I wasn’t sure if I ___ (be) able to finish the slides in time, but I knew I ___ (make) it if I worked hard enough. I had been practicing my speech and thought that I ___ (succeed) no matter what. A few days before the presentation, I was feeling nervous, but I was sure that I ___ (do) well. I hoped the clients ___ (be) impressed with the results. In the end, everything went smoothly, and I was really happy that I had achieved my goal.



3) Fill in the blanks with the correct form of the verb in the future in the past.

Text: We were planning a big conference for our company. Initially, we weren’t sure how many people ___ (attend), but we hoped it ___ (be) a huge success. The organizers thought that everything ___ (go) according to plan, but there were a few unexpected issues. By the time the event started, we realized that we ___ (need) more staff to help with registration. Despite these challenges, we were confident that the conference ___ (be) a success, and by the end of the day, everyone ___ (leave) feeling satisfied.


KEY:

1:

  1. She thought she would finish the project by Monday.

  2. I was going to visit my grandparents this weekend.

  3. They believed the weather would improve by tomorrow.

  4. He planned to move to New York next year.

  5. I knew that she would win the competition.

2: would be, would make, would succeed, would do, would be

3: would attend, would be, would go, would need, would be, would leave


FUTURE PERFECT IN THE PAST

-      also known as the conditional perfect

-      is used to describe an action that was expected to be completed before a specific point in the past

 

By the time we arrived, they were going to have already left.

Last week, Laura said she would have finished her report by now.

I was sure that by 3 o’clock the latest, the package would have been delivered.

We were certain she was going to have passed all the exams by the end of January.


Exercises:

 

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