The past continuous

Ex.

Complete the sentences. They are all about being just too late. Use was/were going to with these verbs: go, get, see, pick.

e.g. The train left just as Mike was going to get on it.

1. I'm afraid the shop closed just as we … in.

2. The phone stopped ringing just as Melanie … it up.

3 We … a film about the Mafia, but the tickets were sold out.

Ex.

Trevor is always making excuses for not doing things. Complete his sentences.

e.g. put up the shelves / not have any screws

Sorry. I was going to put up the shelves, but I didn't have any screws.

1 paint the door / not feel very well Sorry. _______________________________

2 repair the lamp / forget Oh, yes. _____________________________

3 wallpaper the bedroom / not have time

Well, ________________________________

Ex.

Complete the conversation. Use will, be going to or a present tense. Choose the best form. Sometimes more than one answer is correct.

Peter: Hello. Where are you going?

Polly. To my evening class. I'm learning Swedish. And next week (e.g.) I'll have

(I / have) a chance to speak it for real. (1) … (I / go) to Sweden for three weeks. (2) … (I / leave) on Friday. (3) … (I / visit) some friends there.

Peter: (4) … (that/be) nice.

Polly: Well, I'd better hurry. My lesson (5) … (start) at half past seven, and it's

twenty-five past now.

Peter: OK. Come and see me when (6) … (you / get) back from Sweden,

Polly: Thanks. (7) … (I /send) you a postcard.

Ex.

Write a second sentence so that it has a similar meaning to the first. Use the word in brackets.

e.g. We have decided to help with the project. (going)

We are going to help with the project.

1. We're willing to wait for you. ('11)

2. You can get off this train at Bath. (stops)

3. My friend intended to meet us. (going)

4 Adrian's job interview is on 17 October. (having) 5 Our meal will be over by eight o'clock. (finished)

6 I think I’m going to go on the trip. (might)

7 The fire hasn't gone out yet, but it will in a minute. (about)

Ex.

Put in a form of the verb. Use the future continuous, the future perfect or the past continuous.

e.g. It's quite a long way, isn't it? We'll have walked (walk) about five miles by the time we get back, I’d say.

1. It'll be better if you don't ring at one o'clock. We … (have) lunch then.

2. I … (drive) over and see you, but there's something wrong with the car.

3. I've got loads of work. I expect I … (work) all night. And I'm not looking forward to it.

4. I'll have much more time next week because I … (do) all my exams then.

5. We … (buy) that computer game, but they don't make it for the kind of computer we've got.

6. I know you'll put on a wonderful show. You … (have) so much practice by the time you perform it that it's sure to be brilliant.

We use:

♦ will you ...? to give an order or make a request.

e.g. Will you stop talking, please? (= Please stop talking.)

♦ won't to express unwillingness or an emphatic refusal, even when the subject is not a person.

e.g. I've told him not to do that, but he won't listen. (= He refuses to listen.) The washing machine won't work.

We use wouldn't to refer to the past.

e.g. I asked him to help me, but he wouldn't. (= He was unwilling to help me.)

♦ Shall I/we ... ?

a) to make an offer.

e.g. Shall I do the washing-up for you? (= Do you want me to do the washing-up for you?)

b) to make a suggestion.

e.g. Shall we go out for dinner tonight? >

(= Why don't we go out for dinner tonight?)

c) to ask for suggestions or instructions.

e.g. 'Where shall I put the vase?' 'On the table.' 'What shall we do tonight?' 'We could go out'

We can also express the future with:

♦ be to + infinitive (formal English).

e.g. The President is to visit Poland next Monti

♦ be about to + infinftlve/be on the point of ■ form (to refer to the near future). <

e.g. Look! The bus is about to leave.

The company is on the point of closing <

♦ be due to + infinitive (timetables).

e.g. Their flight is due to arrive at 6:15.

♦ verbs such as decide, plan, intend, arrange, n + to -infinitive (for plans or intentions). I

e.g. We intend to buy a bigger flat.

♦ be sure to/be certain to/be bound to + infinit (to express certainty about the future).

e.g This plan is sure to/is bound to succeed.

The future in the past

We use the following patterns to talk about thing intended to do or plans we had for the future.

a) was going to/was to/was about to/ was due to| infinitive

e.g. Mr Simon was going to resign, but the man offered him a better salary. (So he didn't resig

b) was on the point of + -ing form

e.g. They were on the point of leaving the ho

when the phone rang. (So they didn't leave.)