ENGLISH
REFERENCE

be expected to do sth

fixed phr..
B2 Upper Intermediate Oxford

fixed phr.. people believe or require you to act in a certain way because of a rule, a promise, or a social habit.

fixed phr.. a semi-auxiliary construction used to express obligation, social expectation, or a high probability based on a schedule or norm.


SIMPLE

You are expected to arrive on time for the meeting.

CONTEXTUAL

All employees are expected to follow the new safety guidelines starting next Monday.

COMPLEX

While the candidate was expected to win by a landslide, the final results revealed a much narrower margin than the polls had originally predicted.

Usage

always used in the passive voice followed by a to-infinitive.

Teaching tip

contrast this with 'should' to show that 'expected to' often implies an external rule or a specific person's requirement rather than just general advice.

Pitfall

I expect to be there at five.I am expected to be there at five.the passive form 'be expected' is necessary when the expectation comes from an outside source or rule.

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