Part a. Theoretical Material

The Future Simple in the Past

Formation. The future simple in the past is formed by means of the auxiliary verbs should / would and the infinitive without to of the notional verb.

Main Uses. The future simple in the past denotes an action which was future from the point of view of the past: I was sure he would agree with me.

The Future Continuous in the Past

Formation. The future continuous in the past is formed by means of the future simple in the past of the auxiliary verb to be and Participle I of the notional verb.

Main Uses. The future continuous in the past denotes an action going on at a definite moment which was future from the point of view of the past: I felt sure they would be discussing the same problem when I called.

The Future Perfect in the Past

Formation. The future perfect in the past is formed by means of the future simple in the past of the auxiliary verb to have and Participle II of the notional verb.

Main Uses. The Perfect in the Past is used to denote an action completed before a definite moment which was future from the point of view of the past: I wondered whether they would have reached the place by noon.

The Future Perfect Continuous in the Past

Formation. The future perfect continuous in the past is formed by means of the future perfect in the past of the auxiliary verb to be and participle I of the notional verb.

Main Uses. The future perfect continuous in the past denotes an action lasting during a certain period of time before a definite moment which was future from the point of view of the past: I wondered how long they would have been packing by the time I returned.

Part b. Practical exercises

Ex. … Read and translate the sentences. Comment on the use of the Future in the Past.

1. He knew that their paths would cross again. 2. Emma hoped that the baby would be a girl. 3. I promised Edwina I would help her to dress the tree. 4. I knew you would do the right thing. I trusted you. 5. Maggie was a kind of woman a man wouldn’t look at twice. 6. And he often thought that if he was lucky he would meet another woman one day and fall in love. He would get married again. And hopefully there would be a wife, a home, a family, and his own business. 7. He knew that with Frank in Venice, for a few days he would be able to shake his depression, and recharge his batteries completely. 8. The knowledge that she would have to leave him was an agony. She prayed to God every night that Sigi would succeed in getting the child out of Germany.

For further practice use the second part of the book (units ‘Reported Speech’, ‘Sequence of Tenses’)

UNIT 8. Revision

In this unit you are:

To practice the use of the main tense forms in context