Future in the past/help

Future in the past/help
Message from anamaria1234 posted on 05-12-2013 at 17:49:21 (D | E | F)
Hello,
I can't recognize, when I use the form was/were to + infinitive and when I use the form was/were + ing form .
Also I can't recognize the difference between was/were about to + infinitive and was/were going to + infinitive.
Thank you for your help.

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Edited by lucile83 on 06-12-2013 00:09

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Re: Future in the past/help from gerondif, posted on 05-12-2013 at 18:04:12 (D | E)
Hello,
the form was/were to + infinitive: I am to meet him tomorrow means that it has been planned.
I was to meet him when he cancelled the meeting = I was supposed to meet him, i was expected to meet him .

the form was/were + ing form: I was sleeping when the phone rang. I was sleeping describes what you were doing before something interrupted it.

was/were about to + infinitive : I was about to ring you when you eventually came. means that you were going to do it the next minute.
was/were going to + infinitive : I was going to phone you when you came: is the same but with less urgency.

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Re: Future in the past/help from anamaria1234, posted on 07-12-2013 at 16:39:43 (D | E)
Thank you very much!

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