The Future in the Past

• When we look back from a point in the past to a future event that happened after that point, we use special structures known as the future in the past. These forms help sales managers talk about original intentions, schedules, or expectations during past coaching sessions in Chicago or London.
• Structure
• Primary Use
• Example
• was / were going to
• Intention or prediction from the past
• Mark was going to schedule a deal coaching session.
• was / were about to
• Immediate future in the past
• Sarah was about to raise a sensitive issue in Boston.
• would
• Future event from a past viewpoint (often in narratives)
• He knew Lauren would improve her skill gap soon.
• was / were supposed to
• An obligation, arrangement, or expectation
• The disengaged rep was supposed to attend at noon.
• was / were to
• Official plan, arrangement, or destiny
• Brian was to lead the new Atlanta expansion team.
• Remember
• Use 'was/were going to' for plans or intentions that may or may not have happened.
• Use 'was/were about to' when the action was happening immediately after that moment in the past.
• Use 'would' (past of 'will') in reported speech or past narratives for later events.
• Use 'was/were supposed to' to show that an expected event failed to happen or was scheduled.
• Examples
• David knew that Lisa was going to quit her job in Seattle.
• Kevin was about to cancel at short notice in Manchester.
• The manager hoped the team would reach their growth goal in Austin.
• Emily was supposed to role-play a call in Philadelphia.
• Common mistakes
• She was will to give actionable feedback in Birmingham.
• She was going to give actionable feedback in Birmingham.
• They were supposed review the pipeline in Dallas.
• They were supposed to review the pipeline in Dallas.

Complete the sentences

• When Kevin entered the office in Seattle, he (be about to) ____ start a recurring one-to-one.
• Rachel (be going to) ____ address the behaviour change in the Chicago branch.
• The regional director knew that London (would) ____ close the massive deal by Friday.
• Mark (be supposed to) ____ review the growth goal during the meeting in Bristol.
• The sales team (be to) ____ meet the new client in New York on Monday.
• Jessica realized that her manager (would) ____ notice her skill gap eventually.

Sources: photo by olia danilevich on Pexels