Future in the Past
What Is It?
Future in the Past refers to forms that describe a future event from a past viewpoint.
C1-C2 reference topic in Verb-Related Topics.
Why Use It?
- Narrate plans, predictions, and outcomes from the past.
- Report expectations that changed or came true.
- Build coherent timelines.
Formation and Patterns
| Use | Pattern | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Would | S + would + V | She knew the course would help. |
| Was/were going to | S + was/were going to + V | I was going to call. |
| Was/were to | S + was/were to + V | The policy was to change later. |
Common Mistakes
- Using will when the viewpoint is clearly past.
- Confusing future in the past with conditional would.
- Missing whether the planned event happened or not.
Exceptions & Nuances
- Was/were to is formal and often used for scheduled or destined events.