Talking About the Future… and the Future From the Past!
When we learn how to talk about the future in English, we usually focus on phrases like “will,” “going to,” or “I’m meeting…” These are all useful and correct when we’re speaking from now — from the present.
But what if we’re telling a story from the past… and in that story, someone was talking about the future?
That’s when we use something called the Future from the Past.
What’s the difference?
Let’s look at two examples:
- Future from now: I think it will rain later.
- Future from the past: I thought it would rain later.
Both sentences talk about a future event — rain. But the second one is from the point of view of the past.
Check more examples below:
| The future from now… | The future from the past… |
|---|
| ☐ I haven’t got much money, so I think I’ll stay at home this summer. | ☐ Maureen decided that she would stay at home for the summer. |
| ☐ I’m not going to say anything about the exams today, because I don’t have time. | ☐ I wasn’t going to say anything about the exams, but the students asked me to. |
| ☐ I’m having a meeting with my tutor tomorrow to discuss my work. | ☐ I couldn’t go to the match because I was having a meeting with my tutor. |
| ☐ Will you be going alone, or is Jane going with you? | ☐ At the time, I thought I would be going alone, but then Tom said he wanted to come. |
| ☐ The exam will have finished by 3 o’clock, so I’ll see you then. | ☐ The exam was so easy that most people would have finished after 30 minutes. |
| ☐ There is to be a meeting of ministers this evening. | ☐ It was announced that there was to be a meeting of ministers that evening. |
| ☐ When the school closes, all the teachers and children are to be moved to one nearby. | ☐ As she approached retirement she heard that she was to be moved to a post in a nearby school. |
| ☐ As the bell is about to go for the end of the lesson, you can pack your books away. | ☐ The bell was about to go when all the children started to pack their books away. |
Why Does This Matter?
This grammar comes in handy when:
- You’re telling stories
- You’re reporting what someone said or planned
- You’re writing fiction or diary entries
- You want to sound more fluent and natural
Example:
„I was going to join them for dinner, but I got stuck at work.”
Practice Makes Perfect
Choose the correct option (a, b, or c) to complete each sentence.
- I think it’s going to rain, so I ______ an umbrella.
a) will take
b) would take
c) was taking - At the time, I thought she ______ us at the airport.
a) will meet
b) would meet
c) meets - We ______ the results tomorrow afternoon.
a) got
b) would get
c) will get - I knew he ______ the report before the deadline.
a) will have finished
b) finishes
c) would have finished - Don’t worry, I ______ you as soon as I arrive.
a) would call
b) will call
c) called - They said they ______ the presentation by lunchtime.
a) will finish
b) would have finished
c) are finishing - As the train ______, everyone grabbed their bags.
a) is about to leave
b) was about to leave
c) will be leaving - I ______ with Sarah later to talk about the project.
a) am having a meeting
b) was having a meeting
c) would have a meeting - She hoped the documents ______ by the time the manager arrived.
a) will be printed
b) would be printed
c) are printed - The principal announced there ______ a fire drill next week.
a) is to be
b) was to be
c) will being
Answers:
- a) will take
- b) would meet
- c) will get
- c) would have finished
- b) will call
- b) would have finished
- b) was about to leave
- a) am having a meeting
- b) would be printed
- a) is to be
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