Future in the past

B2 Upper Intermediate

The future in the past describes actions or events that were planned or expected at a specific point in the past. It focuses on the perspective of the speaker at that previous time, regardless of whether the event actually happened.

Overview

The future in the past is used to talk about something that had not happened yet at the time we are talking about. It is often used to describe intentions, plans, or predictions made in the past. While the event is in the past now, it was in the 'future' relative to the past starting point.

It often expresses a plan that was interrupted or changed.
It can describe a prediction that later came true or failed.
It is frequently used after reporting verbs like thought, knew, or said.

Form

subject + was/were going to + infinitive / subject + would + infinitive

The most common way to express this is by changing the present forms of 'going to' or 'will' into their past equivalents. Use was/were going to for plans and would for promises or predictions.

Examples

Common mistakes

I thought it will rain yesterday.
I thought it would rain yesterday.
When the main verb is in the past (thought), the auxiliary verb must also shift to the past (would).
She was go to study, but she fell asleep.
She was going to study, but she fell asleep.
The 'going to' structure requires the present participle 'going' even when used in a past context.

Was going to vs. Would

Use was going to when you want to emphasize that a plan existed. Use would primarily for reporting what someone said or thought about the future.

Structure	Primary Use
Was/Were going to	Unfulfilled plans or previous intentions.
Would	Predictions, promises, or volunteered actions from a past perspective.

Practice

Complete the sentence: We _______ (have) dinner outside, but it started to rain.
Show answer
were going to have
Answer:were going to have
Why:The speaker is describing a past intention or plan that was interrupted by rain.
Change to the past: He says he will help us.
Show answer
He said he would help us.
Answer:He said he would help us.
Why:In reported speech, 'will' shifts to 'would' when the reporting verb is in the past.
True or False: 'Was going to' always means the action never happened.
Show answer
False
Answer:False
Why:While often used for unfulfilled plans, it can also describe a plan that was eventually completed; the context determines the outcome.