Sometimes we talk about the future from a point in the past: "I was going to call you, but my phone died." The plan existed in the past; the call may never have happened.
English has several forms for this. Was going to describes a past intention or plan. Would describes a prediction or a future seen from the past. Was about to describes something that was just about to happen.
This page explains the three main forms, shows how they appear in stories and reported speech, and finishes with 20 drill sentences with a rule under every answer.
The rule
Was going to: a past plan
- Form: was or were going to + base verb: "I was going to study, but I fell asleep."
- The plan was real at the time. It may have happened, or it may have been cancelled.
- A but often shows that the plan changed: "She was going to travel, but she broke her leg."
- Were going to is used with you, we and they; was going to with I, he, she and it.
Would: the future seen from the past
- Form: would + base verb: "He said he would arrive at six."
- Would is the past form of will, so it reports a prediction or promise made earlier.
- In stories, would shows what the character expected: "She knew the winter would be hard."
- Would also describes past habits: "Every summer we would swim in the lake."
Was about to: a moment about to happen
- Form: was or were about to + base verb: "I was about to leave when the phone rang."
- It describes a moment right before an action, often interrupted.
- The interruption often comes with when: "We were about to sit down when the guests arrived."
- The same meaning appears with on the point of + -ing: "She was on the point of crying."
Was to and were to
- Form: was or were to + base verb: "The train was to leave at noon."
- This sounds formal and appears in news, plans and historical writing.
- It can describe an arrangement: "We were to meet outside the theatre."
- The perfect form was to have done describes an arrangement that did not happen: "He was to have spoken, but he withdrew."
Future in the past in reported speech
- Will usually becomes would in reported speech: "I will help you" becomes "She said she would help me."
- Going to usually becomes was or were going to: "I am going to move" becomes "He said he was going to move."
- The time words also shift: tomorrow becomes the next day, next week becomes the following week.
- The choice between would and was going to keeps the original meaning: prediction against plan.
Examples
- I was going to call you, but my phone died.A past plan that did not happen.
- They were going to move house last year.Were going to with a plural subject.
- She said she would send the report.Would reports a promise made earlier.
- He knew the journey would take hours.Would expresses a past prediction.
- We were about to leave when it started to rain.Was about to describes an interrupted moment.
- I was on the point of calling when she arrived.On the point of + -ing is a close alternative.
- The meeting was to start at nine.Was to introduces a formal arrangement.
- We were to have met on Friday, but she cancelled.Was to have done describes an arrangement that failed.
- Every summer, we would swim in the lake.Would can also describe past habits.
- I thought the train would be crowded.A prediction from a past moment.
Common mistakes
- Wrong: I was going to called you yesterday. Right: I was going to call you yesterday.
- After was going to, use the base verb, not the past form.
- Wrong: She said she will come later. Right: She said she would come later.
- In reported speech, will usually shifts back to would.
- Wrong: We were about leaving when the phone rang. Right: We were about to leave when the phone rang.
- Was about to takes to + base verb, not -ing.
- Wrong: I would going to help, but I was busy. Right: I was going to help, but I was busy.
- Do not mix the two forms. Use was or were going to on its own.
- Wrong: He said he is going to resign. Right: He said he was going to resign.
- In reported speech, am or is going to shifts back to was going to.
Practice drill
Answer all 20 questions. Each answer is marked at once, and the rule is explained under the question.
I ___ call you, but my battery died.
Show answer and explanation
Answer: A. was going to A past plan uses was going to + base verb.
She said she ___ send the photos.
Show answer and explanation
Answer: B. would In reported speech, will shifts back to would.
We ___ leave when the storm started.
Show answer and explanation
Answer: C. were about to Were about to + base verb describes the interrupted moment.
He knew the trip ___ be difficult.
Show answer and explanation
Answer: D. would Would is the future seen from the past for a prediction.
They ___ move house last year, but the sale failed.
Show answer and explanation
Answer: A. were going to Were going to reports the past plan that changed.
The train ___ leave at noon, according to the old timetable.
Show answer and explanation
Answer: B. was to Was to + base verb is the formal past arrangement.
I was ___ to call her when she walked in.
Show answer and explanation
Answer: C. about Was about to describes the moment just before the action.
He promised he ___ help us move.
Show answer and explanation
Answer: D. would A promise reported later uses would, the past form of will.
Every summer we ___ swim in the sea until dark.
Show answer and explanation
Answer: A. would Would can describe repeated past habits.
She said she ___ going to study medicine.
Show answer and explanation
Answer: B. was The reported plan shifts from is going to to was going to.
I thought it ___ rain, so I took a coat.
Show answer and explanation
Answer: C. would Would expresses the prediction made at the past moment.
The meeting ___ to start at nine.
Show answer and explanation
Answer: D. was Was to + base verb describes the formal past arrangement for a singular subject.
I was going ___ phone you, but I lost your number.
Show answer and explanation
Answer: A. to Was going to takes the to-infinitive to form the past plan.
The children ___ about to go to bed when the fireworks started.
Show answer and explanation
Answer: B. were The plural subject children takes were about to.
She was on the point of ___ when the phone rang.
Show answer and explanation
Answer: C. leaving On the point of takes the -ing form.
I asked when the parcel ___ arrive.
Show answer and explanation
Answer: D. would The reported question about the future shifts will to would.
He was ___ have spoken at the event, but he withdrew.
Show answer and explanation
Answer: A. to Was to have done describes an arrangement that did not happen.
They told us the bus ___ leave at six.
Show answer and explanation
Answer: B. would Reported information about the future uses would.
I ___ buy milk on the way home, but the shop was closed.
Show answer and explanation
Answer: C. was going to The past intention that failed needs was going to.
Nobody knew what ___ happen next.
Show answer and explanation
Answer: D. would The future seen from the past uses would.
Questions learners ask
What is the difference between was going to and would?
Was going to describes a plan or intention: "I was going to buy a new laptop." Would describes a prediction, promise or expectation: "I knew it would be expensive." Sometimes both fit, but was going to stresses the plan and would stresses the outcome.
How does future in the past work in reported speech?
When a sentence is reported later, the future forms shift back one step. Will becomes would, and am or is going to becomes was going to. "I will call" becomes "She said she would call". The meaning stays the same; only the point of view changes.
When do I use was about to?
Use was about to for an action that was going to happen in the next moment, usually when something interrupted it: "I was about to sit down when the doorbell rang." It is a dramatic form, common in stories and everyday excuses.
More grammar topics
Would rather vs prefer
Would rather + base verb for one choice now; prefer + noun or -ing for a general taste, and pref ... er ... to ... for comparisons.
Had better: strong advice
A fixed phrase for strong advice: had better + base verb, had better not for warnings, and no to after better.
Would vs used to: past habits
Both describe the past, but would cannot describe states, and used to cannot repeat forever without a time frame.
Take the free A1 to C2 level test to find your starting point.