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Verbs

Future in the past


grammar game

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We use the future in the past when we want to speak about something which had still not happened at the moment of
time in the past that we are referring to.
There are various different forms of future in the past, all of which correspond to forms that we usually use to refer to the
future. In fact, the process is the same as that used for converting direct speech to indirect (reported) speech - the verb
tenses "move back in time":

Am/Is going to = was going to

When I saw John last time, he was going to travel around the world.

Are going to = were going to


Present continuous (am/is meeting) = past continuous (was meeting)
Present continuous (are meeting) = past continuous (were meeting)
Future simple (will) = would

John said "I'm going to travel around the world".


I saw Sue this morning, but she couldn't speak to me because she was catching a train shortly afterwards.
Sue said "I can't speak to you because I am catching a train shortly".
The judge put him into prison, from where he would never leave before he died.
The judge said "I am putting you in prison, from where you will never leave before you die".

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