English Grammar: Future in the Past

Future in the Past

Grammar Rules

• Used to express an action that was expected to be completed at a specific point in the past
• Formed using the past tense of the verb "will" (would) + the base form of the main verb
• Can be used in combination with other verb tenses to express more complex ideas

Future Perfect

• Used to describe an action that will be completed at a specific point in the future
• In the context of the future in the past, the future perfect is used to describe an action that was expected to be completed at a specific point in the past
• Formed using the past tense of the verb "will have" (would have) + the past participle of the main verb
• Example: "I would have graduated by then."

Verb Tenses

• The future in the past can be used with various verb tenses to express different ideas:
  • Past simple: to describe a completed action in the past
  • Past continuous: to describe an ongoing action in the past
  • Past perfect: to describe an action that occurred before another action in the past
  • Past perfect continuous: to describe an ongoing action that started before another action in the past

Conditional Sentences

• The future in the past is often used in conditional sentences to express hypothetical or uncertain situations:
  • Zero conditional: used to describe a general truth or a habitual action
  • First conditional: used to describe a likely future event
  • Second conditional: used to describe an unlikely or hypothetical future event
  • Third conditional: used to describe a past hypothetical event and its consequences
  • Example: "If I had studied harder, I would have passed the exam." (third conditional)

Future in the Past

• Expresses an action that was expected to be completed at a specific point in the past
• Formed using the past tense of the verb "will" (would) + the base form of the main verb

Future Perfect

• Describes an action that will be completed at a specific point in the future
• In the context of the future in the past, describes an action that was expected to be completed at a specific point in the past
• Formed using the past tense of the verb "will have" (would have) + the past participle of the main verb
• Example: "I would have graduated by then"

Combining with Other Verb Tenses

• Can be used with various verb tenses to express different ideas:
  • Past simple: describes a completed action in the past
  • Past continuous: describes an ongoing action in the past
  • Past perfect: describes an action that occurred before another action in the past
  • Past perfect continuous: describes an ongoing action that started before another action in the past

Conditional Sentences

• Often used in conditional sentences to express hypothetical or uncertain situations
• Types of conditional sentences:
  • Zero conditional: describes a general truth or a habitual action
  • First conditional: describes a likely future event
  • Second conditional: describes an unlikely or hypothetical future event
  • Third conditional: describes a past hypothetical event and its consequences
  • Example: "If I had studied harder, I would have passed the exam" (third conditional)