The Future Indefinite in the Past
The Future Indefinite in the Past Tense
The Future Indefinite in the Past is also known as the Future in the Past or the Past Future.
It is used to talk about a future event from a past perspective.
The Future in the Past Formation (Table 1)
| Situation | Formation | Example Sentence |
| Affirmative Statement | “Would” + base form of verb | She said she would study for her exam the next day. |
| Negative Statement | “Would not” + base form of verb | They said they would not go to the party that night. |
| Interrogative Statement | “Would” + subject + base form of verb | Would you come to my concert the following week? |
| Interrogative Negative | “Would not” + subject + base form of verb | Wouldn’t she be disappointed when she heard the news? |
| Polite Request | “Would” + subject + base form of verb | Would you please pass me the salt? |
Note that the verb would is used instead of will in the Future in the Past tense.
It is also important to use past-tense verbs for the rest of the sentence to indicate that the perspective is in the past.
Example:
Present Tense: I will go to the beach tomorrow.
Past Tense: She said she would go to the beach the next day.
We use the Future in the Past, also known as the simple future in the past or the past future, to talk about events that were in the future from a past perspective.
It is a way of expressing something that was going to happen in the future but has now already happened in the past.
For example:
Let’s say it is Monday, and I make plans to meet my friend on Friday.
If on Wednesday someone asks me if I have plans for Friday,
I would use the future in the past to talk about those plans from my past perspective.
I would say I said I would meet my friend on Friday to indicate that, at the time of making plans on Monday,
I intended to meet my friend on Friday.
The Future in the Past in a reported speech:
The Future in the Past is often used in reported speech, which is when we report what someone else said.
For example:
Present Tense: John said, “I will go to the party tonight.”
Future in the Past: John said he would go to the party that night.
Here, the speaker is reporting what John said from a past perspective, so the verb will changes to would in the reported speech.
Overall, the future in the past is used to indicate that we are talking about something that was going to happen in the future from a past perspective and to reflect the speaker’s knowledge or intention at that time.
Click here The Future Indefinite in the Past
Click here The Future Indefinite tense ( the Future Simple)
Click here The Past Indefinite Tense ( The Past Simple)
Click here The Present Indefinite Tense (the Present Simple)
Click here The Indicative Mood – the Active Voice
Click here What is the Mood of a Verb?