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• Emi Saliu

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Future in the Past Future in the Past is used to express the idea that in the past you thought something would happen in the future. It does not matter if you are correct or not. Future in the Past follows the same basic rules as the Simple Future. "Would" is used to volunteer or promise, and "was going to" is used to plan. Moreover, both forms can be used to make predictions about the future. Like Simple Future, Future in the Past has two different forms in English: "would" and "was going to." Although the two forms can sometimes be used interchangeably, they often express two different meanings.

FORM Would [would + VERB] Examples: I knew you would help him.  I knew you would not help him. 

FORM Was/Were Going To [was/were + going to + VERB] Examples I knew you were going to go to the party. I knew you were not going to go to the party.

Would Would is an auxiliary verb, a modal auxiliary verb. We use would mainly to:   

talk about the past talk about the future in the past express the conditional mood

We also use would for other functions, such as: 

expressing desire, polite requests and questions, opinion or hope, wish and regret...

Structure of Would (subject + would + main verb) The main verb is always the bare infinitive (infinitive without "to").

+

subject

auxiliary verb

main verb

She

would

like

tea.

like

whisky.

like

coffee?

'd

-

She

would not wouldn't

?

Would

she

Use of Would would: Talking about the past We often use would as a kind of past tense of will or going to:  

Even as a boy, he knew that he would succeed in life. I thought it would rain so I brought my umbrella.

Using would as as a kind of past tense of will or going to is common in reported speech:   

She said that she would buy some eggs. ("I will buy some eggs.") The candidate said that he wouldn't increase taxes. ("I won't increase taxes.") Why didn't you bring your umbrella? I told you it would rain! ("It's going to rain.")

We often use would not to talk about past refusals:  

He wanted a divorce but his wife would not agree. Yesterday morning, the car wouldn't start.

We sometimes use would (rather like used to) when talking about habitual past behaviour:   

Every weekday my father would come home from work at 6pm and watch TV. Every summer we'd go to the seaside. Sometimes she'd phone me in the middle of the night.

Would- Future in past When we talk about the past we can use would to express something that has not happened at the time we are talking about:  

In London she met the man that she would one day marry. He left 5 minutes late, unaware that the delay would save his life.

When we talk about the future from a time in the past we use: 

would as the past tense of will He thought he would buy one the next day. Everyone was excited. The party would be fun I knew Julie would make dinner. He promised he would send a postcard from Egypt I said I would help him later. I said I would never help him.

WAS/WERE GOING TO Simple Future has two different forms in English: "will" and "be going to." Although the two forms can sometimes be used interchangeably, they often express two very different meanings. These different meanings might seem too abstract at first, but with time and practice, the differences will become clear. Both "will" and "be going to" refer to a specific time in the future. Be going to" expresses that something is a plan. It expresses the idea that a person intends to do something in the future. It does not matter whether the plan is realistic or not.

FORM Was/Were Going To [was/were + going to + VERB] EXAMPLES: 1.

He was going to go to London next week, but cancelled his trip due a death in the family.

2.

At the university, I was study Business, but changed to Economics.

3.

They were going to come to the party, but it started snowing so they decided to stay home instead.

was/were + going to + place 1. She was going to school when she got robbed. 2.

They were going to the football match when our car broke down.

3.

Bill was going to the Doctor when he passed out.

** can also be used with “action verbs” 

She was walking to school when she was robbed. (estava andando)



They were driving to the football match when their car broke down. (estava dirigindo)



Bill was seeing the Doctor when he passed out.

Active / Passive Verb Forms Sentences can be active or passive. Therefore, tenses also have "active forms" and "passive forms." You must learn to recognize the difference to successfully speak English.

Active Form In active sentences, the thing doing the action is the subject of the sentence and the thing receiving the action is the object. Most sentences are active. [Thing doing action] + [verb] + [thing receiving action] Examples:

Passive Form In passive sentences, the thing receiving the action is the subject of the sentence and the thing doing the action is optionally included near the end of the sentence. You can use the passive form if you think that the thing receiving the action is more important or should be emphasized. You can also use the passive form if you do not know who is doing the action or if you do not want to mention who is doing the action. [Thing receiving action] + [be] + [past participle of verb] + [by] + [thing doing action] Examples:

EXAMPLES Future in the Past WOULD

I knew John would finish the work by 5:00 PM. I knew you would help him. He promised he would send a postcard from Egypt

I knew the work would be finished by 5:00 PM. I knew you would be helped him. He promised he would be sent a postcard from Egypt.

Future in the Past WAS GOING

I thought Sally was going to make a beautiful dinner tonight.

I thought a beautiful dinner was going to be made by Sally tonight.

The car was going to be washed

The car was going to be being washed

TO