This document discusses ways to express actions or events that were expected to happen in the future but were interrupted by something in the past. It provides examples of using phrases like "was/were going to", "was/were supposed to", and "would have" to convey this idea. It also gives examples of using "was/were on the verge of" and structures like "would verb" and "be verb-ing" to express a future plan that did not occur due to past events. The document concludes with exercises asking the reader to make sentences using clauses that illustrate interrupted future plans.
2. CONCEPT:
• AN ACTION OR EVENT THAT
WAS EXPECT TO HAPPEN IN
THE FUTURE, BUT IT WAS
INTERRUPTED BY ANOTHER
ACTION IN THE PAST.
3. MANNERS TO EXPRESS:
ABOUT TO
• WAS / WERE
GOING TO
EXPECTED TO
SUPPOSED TO
VERB
DUE TO
TO
I was about to talk to my friends, but my mom
called me at the exact time.
They were supposed to go to the movies when
the rain started to fall heavily.
4. MANNERS TO EXPRESS:
WAS / WERE ON THE VERGE OF + VERB + ING
I was on the verge of doing my homework
when my friend called me at the phone.
She was on the verge of entering at home when
the mugger stopped her and took her purse.
5. MANNERS TO EXPRESS:
WOULD
VERB
BE+VERB+ING
PRESENT PERFECT
I would call you when I arrived at home, but I
had to clean my bedroom.
Jennifer would be taking her car when she
perceived that it was not there.
We left work at 9pm and would have arrived
at home at 9h30, but the traffic was terrible.
6. EXERCISES
• Make up sentences based on the clauses below:
a) I had to work at 9am. My child got hurt.
b) I had to witness. The victim asked me not to.
c) She had to go to the party. Her mother arrived.
d) They wanted to see a film. The car crashed.
e) The man had to be arrested. His lawyer got an
habeas corpus.
