The Formal Future

• At an advanced C2 level, expressing upcoming events formally requires nuanced structures beyond standard tenses. These constructions convey inevitability, official schedules, or imminent transitions.
• Structure
• Primary Nuance
• Example
• be to
• Official arrangement or command
• The city council is to vote on the new charter in Boston.
• be expected to
• Probable outcome based on trends
• The suburban bypass is expected to reduce traffic in Oxford.
• be slated to
• Officially scheduled or programmed
• The historic warehouse is slated to become a boutique hotel in Chicago.
• be poised to
• Ready and waiting for the right moment
• The downtown area is poised to experience a massive influx of wealth.
• be on the verge of
• Imminent occurrence
• The old tavern is on the verge of being demolished by the developers.
• be destined to
• Fate or unavoidable outcome
• That sleepy town in Vermont seems destined to transform completely.
• Remember
• Use 'be to' for official plans, instructions, or prohibitions.
• Use 'be slated to' primarily in journalism and official scheduling contexts.
• Use 'be poised to' when an entity is fully prepared for an immediate action.
• Use 'be on the verge of' followed by a gerund or noun phrase to denote imminent change.
• Examples
• The mayor is to announce the new zoning laws in Philadelphia.
• The old district is poised to attract many wealthy newcomers.
• That derelict cinema is slated to be demolished next week in Seattle.
• Common mistakes
• The town is poised for demolish the old mill.
• The town is poised to demolish the old mill.
• They are slated launching the project in Dallas.
• They are slated to launch the project in Dallas.

Complete the sentences

• The historical committee in Charleston (be slated to) ____ approve the preservation order.
• Our sleepy town in Maine (be poised to) ____ welcome a new wave of artisans.
• The authorities in Baltimore (be to) ____ finalize the regeneration scheme by Friday.
• That Victorian theater in Leeds (be on the verge of) ____ closing down permanently.
• The highway department (be expected to) ____ construct a bypass around Bristol.
• The abandoned factory in Detroit (be destined to) ____ become a modern art gallery.

Sources: photo by Diana ✨ on Pexels