THE FUTURE: OTHER FUTURE TENSES

A   Was going to

We can use was going to/were going to to talk about changed plans or intentions. Read this short dialogue:

A         “I've decided that I'm going to resign.”

B        “Don't do that - I've just heard that the management want to promote you.”

A “OK, perhaps I'll stay then.”

When we report this change of plan, we can say:

“I was going to resign, but in the end I decided to stay.”

 

 

B Was doing/were doing

When we talk about an arrangement that has been changed, we can use the past continuous (was/were doing):

I was meeting her on Friday, but she had to go to the States, so I am seeing her next Wednesday instead.

This is similar to was going to, but the past continuous is normally used to report changed arrangements rather than changed plans or intentions.

 

 

 

C      Will be doing

The future continuous (will be doing) is used to talk about an activity that will be in progress at a particular moment in the future:

 

I'm afraid I can't see you on the 22nd because I will be attending a training course in England

D Will have done

We use the future perfect (will have done), and a time phrase with by, to talk about something that will be completed before a particular time in the future:

We will have paid back the loan by August.

Compare this with the use of the future with will:

We will make the last payment in July.