An outline of the various tenses we use to express the future in the past. Also included a section for Italians on how to translate 'avrei fatto' etc.

1. The Future in
the Past

2. John packed his things. He was
leaving on the night boat and he
knew that it would be cold.
He was about to leave his room
when the phone rang. He was
going to answer it, but then he
thought better of it.

3. John packed his things. He was
leaving on the night boat and he
knew that it would be cold.
He was about to leave his room
when the phone rang. He was
going to answer it, but then he
thought better of it.

4. John packed his things. He was
leaving on the night boat and he
knew that it would be cold.
He was about to leave his room
when the phone rang. He was
going to answer it, but then he
thought better of it.
events in the
narrative time in
past simple

5. now
narrative events

6. John packed his things. He was
leaving on the night boat and he
knew that it would be cold.
He was about to leave his room
when the phone rang. He was
going to answer it, but then he
thought better of it.

7. John packed his things. He was
leaving on the night boat and he
knew that it would be cold.
He was about to leave his room
when the phone rang. He was
going to answer it, but then he
thought better of it.
various forms for the future in the past

8. now
future in the past

9. to understand the future in the
past in English, you need to
start from the normal future
(inside your narrative)

10. 1. Past Continuous

11. John packed his things. He was
leaving on the night boat and he
knew that it would be cold.
He was about to leave his room
when the phone rang. He was
going to answer it, but then he
thought better of it.

12. consider the situation as if it
were in the present

13. John is leaving on the night boat.

14. John is leaving on the night boat.
present
continuous for
present plans

15. John is leaving on the night boat.
future in the past
?

16. John was leaving on the night boat.
past continuous
for plans in the
future in the past

17. John is leaving on the night boat.
John was leaving on the night boat.

18. 2. ‘would do’

19. John packed his things. He was
leaving on the night boat and he
knew that it would be cold.
He was about to leave his room
when the phone rang. He was
going to answer it, but then he
thought better of it.

20. He knows it will be cold.

21. He knows it will be cold.
‘will’ for neutral
future

22. He knows it will be cold.
future in the past
?

23. He knew it would be cold.
‘would’ for neutral
future in the past

24. He knows it will be cold.
He knew it would be cold.

25. NB the same mechanism is
used in reported speech

26. I
say
tell sb.
promise
explain
etc.
(that) I will do sth.
I
said
told sb.
promised
explained
etc.
(that) I would do sth.

27. 3. ‘about to’

28. John packed his things. He was
leaving on the night boat and he
knew that it would be cold.
He was about to leave his room
when the phone rang. He was
going to answer it, but then he
thought better of it.

29. He is about to leave his room.
‘about to’ for
immediate future

30. He is about to leave his room.
future in the past
?

31. He was about to leave his room.
‘about to’ for
immediate future
in the past

32. He is about to leave his room.
He was about to leave his room.

33. 4. ‘going to’

34. John packed his things. He was
leaving on the night boat and he
knew that it would be cold.
He was about to leave his room
when the phone rang. He was
going to answer it, but then he
thought better of it.

35. He is going to answer the phone.

36. He is going to answer the phone.
‘going to’ for
intentional future

37. He is going to answer the phone.
future in the past
?

38. He was going to answer the phone.
‘going to’ for
intentional future
in the past

39. He is going to answer the phone.
He was going to answer the phone.

40. NB ‘about to’ and ‘going to’
(usually) refer to actions in the
past THAT DIDN’T HAPPEN

41. He was about to leave his room
when the phone rang. He was
going to answer it, but then he
thought better of it.

42. He was about to leave his room
when the phone rang. He was
going to answer it, but then he
thought better of it.
so he didn’t leave
his room

43. He was about to leave his room
when the phone rang. He was
going to answer it, but then he
thought better of it.
and he didn’t
answer it

44. in the present ‘intention’ and
‘immediate action’
are useful concepts

45. in the present ‘intention’ and
‘immediate action’
are useful concepts
BEFORE the verb happens

46. in the past ‘intention’ and
‘immediate action’
are only interesting…

47. in the past ‘intention’ and
‘immediate action’
are only interesting…
IF the verb doesn’t happen

48. consider:

49. John packed his things. He was
about to leave the room. Then
he left the room.

50. John packed his things. He was
about to leave the room. Then
he left the room.
NOT interesting

51. John packed his things. He was
about to leave the room. Then
something happened to stop
him.
unfulfilled
immediate action

52. The phone rang. He was going
to answer it, and then he
answered it.

53. The phone rang. He was going
to answer it, and then he
answered it.
superfluous
information

54. The phone rang. He was going
to answer it, but then he thought
better of it.
unfulfilled
intention

55. be careful translating
‘avrei fatto’ etc.

56. 1. unreal past

57. Se avessi saputo del concerto,
avrei prenotato dei biglietti.

58. Se avessi saputo del concerto,
avrei prenotato dei biglietti.
If I had known about the concert,
I would have booked tickets.

59. 2. future in the past

60. Avrebbe scoperto troppo tardi
che lei lo amava per davvero.

61. Avrebbe scoperto troppo tardi
che lei lo amava per davvero.
He would find out too late
that she really loved him.

62. Lui non avrebbe visto
mai più Parigi.

63. Lui non avrebbe visto
mai più Parigi.
He wouldn’t see
Paris ever again.

64. 3. reported and indirect speech

65. Lei ha detto
che sarebbe andata con lui.

66. Lei ha detto
che sarebbe andata con lui.
She said
she would go with him.

67. Lei pensava
che avrebbe preso la barca.

68. Lei pensava
che avrebbe preso la barca.
She thought
she would take the boat.

69. translate
Se avessi saputo, ti avrei chiamato.
You promised you wouldn’t tell.
Ti ho detto che non avremmo vinto.
What would you have done?
Lei sapeva che lui sarebbe venuto.
If he’d come, he would have seen her.
Senza di te non l’avrebbero fatto.
He said he’d be here.
Non pensavo che saresti andato.
We explained there’d be no need.
Lui disse che l’avrebbe amata sempre.

70. translate
Se avessi saputo, ti avrei chiamato. If I had known, I would have called you
Hai promesso che non l’avresti detto. You promised you wouldn’t tell.
Ti ho detto che non avremmo vinto. I told you (that) we wouldn’t win.
Cosa avresti fatto tu? What would you have done?
Lei sapeva che lui sarebbe venuto. She knew (that) he’d come.
Se fosse venuto, l’avrebbe vista. If he’d come, he would have seen her.
Senza di te non l’avrebbero fatto. Without you they wouldn’t have done it
Lui ha detto che sarebbe stato qui. He said he’d be here.
Non pensavo che saresti andato. I didn’t think (that) you’d go.
Abbiamo spiegato che non ci sarebbe
stato bisogno.
We explained there’d be no need.
Lui disse che l’avrebbe amata sempre. He said (that) he’d always love her.

71. why?

72. see what happens if you
translate literally?

73. Sapevo che sarebbe stato bello.

74. Sapevo che sarebbe stato bello.
I knew it would have been good.

75. Sapevo che sarebbe stato bello.
I knew it would have been good.
why is this
WRONG?

76. Sapevo che sarebbe stato bello.
I knew it would have been good.
think what the
present would be

77. Sapevo che sarebbe stato bello.
I knew it would have been good.
I know it will have been good.

78. So che sarà bello.
≠
I know it will have been good.

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