Guide to English grammar

I'll have been reading this book for about six weeks.
Our neighbours are moving soon. They'll have only been living here a year.
80 Looking forward from the past:
was going to etc
1 We can use was/were going to for a past intention or arrangement.
Mr Dudley was going to retire, but then hefound anotherjob.
We were going to watch the film, but then weforgot about it.
The bus pulled awayjust as I was going to get on it.
I was going to means that I intended to.
NOTE
a Sometimes the intended action (Mr Dudley's retirement) actually happens.
He had to retire when the cinema closed. But he was going to retire anyway.
b We can also use the past continuous for a past arrangement.
Joanne went to bed early because she was getting up at five.
2 We can use would as a past form of will.
They set offat daybreak. They would reach the camp before nightfall.
George Washington was the first President ofa nation that would become the
richest and most powerful on earth.
Here we look at a past action (reaching the camp) from a time when it was in the
future.
We can use would not for past unwillingness, a refusal.
The spokesman wouldn't answer any questions.
The car wouldn't start this morning.
3 We can also use be to, be about to etc in the past.
It was the last film at the cinema, which was to close the next day.
We had to hurry. The coach was about to leave.
Phil was on the point ofleaving when he noticed an attractive girl looking across
the room at him.
NOTE
a The cinema was to close means that there was an arrangement for the cinema to close. But
was to + perfect means that what was arranged did not actually happen.
The cinema was to have closed the next day, but they decided to keep it open another week.

b There is a special use of was to where it has a similar meaning to would.

George Washington was thefirst President ofa nation that was to become the richest and

most powerful on earth.

Here was to means that the future action really did happen.