PAST FUTURE

Like Simple Future, Future in the Past has two different forms in English: "would" and "be ( was / were ) 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 take me.
• I knew you would not take me.


FORM Be ( Was/Were ) Going To

[was/were + going to + VERB]

Examples:
• I thought you were going to go to my home.
• I thought you were not going to go to my home.

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.

Examples:
• I told you he was going to come to my home. plan
• I knew Julie would make dinner party. voluntary action
• Jane said Sam was going to bring his girlfriend with him, but he came alone. plan
• I had a feeling that the vacation was going to be bored. prediction
• He promised he would send a letter from Egypt. promise

REMEMBER NO FUTURE IN TIME CLAUSES

Like all future forms, Future in the Past cannot be used in clauses beginning with time expressions such as: when, while, before, after, by the time, as soon as, if, unless, etc. Instead of using Future in the Past, you must use Simple Past.

Nominal Sentence

FORM

would + be + adj/adv/n
be ( was/were ) going to + be + adj/adv/n

Example:

I thought the party would be bored
I thought the party was going to be bored