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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.
Examples:
Examples
The main verb is always the bare infinitive (infinitive without "to").
'd
wouldn't
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 sometimes use would (rather like used to) when talking about
habitual past behaviour:
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:
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 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.
Examples:
Passive Form
Examples:
EXAMPLES