Everything is possible in English. Even such an absurd name for a whole group of times - Future in the Past - the future is in the past. How can this be, you ask. How did you get into the past context? Very simply - it's about when we talk about an action that was the future for a certain moment in the past. Let's take an example right now:
He said he would come at 5 o'clock. He said he would come at 5 o'clock.
At the time when he said this, it was not yet 5 o'clock. That is, the action "will come" is future in relation to the past action "said". Here is your time Future in the Past.
There are four group times Future in the Past:
- Future Simple in the Past
- Future Perfect in the Past
Future in the Past Education: The Formula
Time Future in the Past are formed in the same way as their counterparts from the group Future, only instead of will And shall are used would And should . Should used only for the first person singular and plural, but there is a tendency to use would for all persons and numbers:
| Future Simple in the Past | Future Continuous in the Past |
|---|---|
| I would (should) work. | I would (should) be working. |
| We would (should) work. | We would (should) be working. |
| You would work. | You would be working. |
| He (she, it) would work. | He (she, it) would be working. |
| They would work. | They would be working. |
| Future Perfect in the Past | Future Perfect Continuous in the Past |
|---|---|
| I would (should) have worked. | I would (should) have been working. |
| We would (should) have worked. | We would (should) have been working. |
| You would have worked. | You would have been working. |
| He (she, it) would have worked. | He (she, it) would have been working. |
| They would have worked. | They would have been working. |
Auxiliary verb in interrogative form would (should ) placed before the subject:
- Would I work?
- Would we be working?
- Would he have worked?
- Would they have been working?
In negative form not placed after the auxiliary verb would (should ) :
- I would not work.
- We would not be working.
- He would not have worked.
- They would not have been working.
The abbreviated forms are "d in the affirmative form for both auxiliary verbs and would’ t (shouldn't’ t ) in negative form:
- He'd be working.
- They wouldn't have worked.
- We shouldn't work.
Using Future in the Past: Sentence Examples
Time Future in the Past are used in when the predicate of the main clause is expressed by the verb in. Purpose of use Future in the Past- show that the action in the subordinate clause will occur later than the action in the main clause.
Here are some examples Future in the Past:
I thought that you would be late. - I thought you'd be late. (Future Simple in the Past)
I knew we wouldbepackaging next Friday. I knew that we would be meeting next Friday. (Future Continuous in the Past)
He said he would have read the book by the time I needed it. He said he would have finished the book by the time I needed it. (Future Perfect in the Past)
He said that by that time he would have been driving for two hours. He said that by then he would have been driving for two hours. (Future Perfect Continuous in the Past)
Thus the times Future in the Past denote a future action relative to a specific moment in the past. As can be seen from the examples, the sentence necessarily contains a verb in the past tense in the main clause, without it, the use Future in the Past impossible.
If you have already encountered a topic such as "", you will understand that times Future in the Past arose precisely due to the rules of coordination. Interestingly, in English grammar books, tenses Future in the Past are not generally singled out as a separate group, but are considered within the framework of the rules for coordinating times and ways of expressing a future action described from the past. In addition, about the use would instead of will we learn when studying, so the rules for coordinating times also apply to it:
He says: “I won't buy this car.” He says: "I will not buy this car."
He said he wouldn't buy that car. He said he would not buy that car.
She hopes she will have finished the courses by the beginning of spring. She hopes to have completed her courses by early spring.
She hoped she would have finished the courses by the beginning of spring. She hoped to have completed her courses by early spring.
From these examples it is clear that the group times Future express future action relative to the present moment, and group tenses Future in the Past- future action relative to the past moment.
Finally, it remains to be said that Future in the Past usually used after verbs of speaking ( say , tell ) and mental activity ( think , know , believe , expect , hope etc.)
Application of tenses Future Continuous in the Past, Future Perfect in the Past And Future Perfect Continuous in the Past- is significantly limited, but Future Simple in the Past occurs quite often.
The theme of the times Future in the Past we examined separately how they consider her domestic benefits, since she is present in school and can cause difficulties for students. But I think that it is more logical not to single out these tenses, as English-speaking grammarians do, so as not to create unnecessary confusion.
Now try the following test Future in the Past to consolidate the acquired knowledge:
Test
Future in the Past: Exercises
Future in the Past used to express a future action that is viewed from the point of view of the past. Most often, this tense is used in indirect speech, when a person tells his thoughts or intentions about the future (which are no longer relevant), but the narration itself takes place in the past.
There are four forms Future in the Past for active voice and two forms for the passive voice.
Tense |
Active Voice |
Passive Voice |
|---|---|---|
| Future Simple in the Past |
I thought you would come. I thought that you would come. |
I thought the glass would be broken. I thought the glass would break. |
| Future Continuous in the Past |
--- No |
|
| Future Perfect in the Past |
He knew the work would have been finished by Friday. He knew the job would be done by Friday. |
|
| Future Perfect Continuous in the Past |
--- No |
| Future Simple in the past |
| I thought you would come. I thought that you would come. |
| Future Continuous in the past |
| I wished we would be working next Monday. I wanted us to work next Monday. |
| Future Perfect in the past |
| I hoped we would have finished the work by Friday. I was hoping we'd finish the job by Friday. |
| Future Perfect Continuous in the past |
| I knew they would have been working here for 10 years next month. I knew that by next month they would have been here for 10 years. |
Statement
affirmative sentence with Future in the Past formed with an auxiliary verb would(or less should) and the desired infinitive of the semantic verb.
- I thought I should buy that dress. I thought I would buy that dress.
- He wrote that he would be working on Monday. He wrote that he would work on Monday.
- She told me that the cake would be eaten soon. She told me that the cake would be eaten soon.
Should shall(for I, We), is considered obsolete in modern English.
Would– past tense form of the auxiliary verb will.
In modern English would used for all numbers and persons, and should practically not used, as it received a separate meaning of the modal verb should.
Auxiliary verbs should And would have the same abbreviations:
|
|
Negation
In order to form a negative Future in the Past necessary after the auxiliary verb would(less often should) put a negative particle not.
- I knew we should not be working next Saturday. I knew that we would not work next Saturday.
- He wrote that he would not go to New York next week. He wrote that he would not go to New York next week.
- should not = shouldn't (abbreviation)
- She told me that we shouldn't work here. She told me that we would not work here.
- would not = wouldn't
- I thought it wouldn't be broken. I thought it wouldn't break.
Question
General question in Future in the Past formed by transferring the auxiliary verb would(less often should) at the beginning of a sentence before the subject.
- Should I buy this dress? Would I buy this dress?
- Would he go to New York? Would he go to New York?
- Would that work be done soon? Could that work be done soon?
- Matt asked whether I should buy that dress. Matt asked if I would buy that dress.
- She was interested if that work would be done soon. She wondered if that work would be done soon.
- I wondered when the book would be finished.“I was wondering when the book would be written.
Using Future in the Past
Complex sentences
Future in the Past used in complex sentences, if the action of the main clause expresses the past action.
- I dream I would find his number. I dreamed that I would find his number.
- We hoped we should have been living here for 20 years next month. We hoped that by next month we would have lived here for 20 years.
- He thought he would be working next Thursday. He thought he would work next Thursday.
- They said that book would have been finished by the end of this year. They said the book would be written by the end of this year.
Telling the future from the point of view of the past
Time Future in the Past are used if events are mentioned in the story about the past, expressing future action. Used in literature or in stories of reminiscences.
- We made a deal to go to Vegas together. I would buy the tickets and John would prepare some food. We made a deal to go to Vegas together. I'll buy the tickets and John will cook the food.
- She decided to find a new job. And I would help her with this challenge. She decided to find a new job. And I will help her in this test.
- We arranged to find some new house. Hanna would be searching at the newspapers and I would be calling to agencies. We agreed to find a new home. Hannah will look in the papers, and I'll call the agencies.
In many textbooks, in addition to tenses, present, Past, Future, four types of temporary forms under the general name - the future in the past.
Meaning of time Future in the Past
The future tense in the past denotes an action that will happen in the future from the point of view of a moment in the past. In other words, Future in the Past is when people in the past talk about something that will happen in the future.. This form is used after verbs (in the past tense):
- say- talk,
- tell- talk,
- know- know,
- believe- believe, believe
- hope- to hope.
- and etc.
All forms of the future in the past are formed in the same way as the forms of the future tense with the only difference - it is replaced by would. In written speech, the union is usually used that(what) after the verb, it is often omitted in speech.
I knew (that) you would smile. “I knew you would smile.
I said (that) we would not regret our decision. “I said that we would not regret our decision.
In the form of the future in the past, the simple (Simple) and long (Continuous) tenses are most often used.
Future Simple in the Past
Denotes an action in the future that was discussed in the past. The most commonly used form.
In active voice:
- I said that I would be late today. I said I'd be late today.
- She knew that sh e would come back next week. She knew she would be back next week.
- Max believed that we would find his friend in that town. Max believed that we would find his friend in that city.
- Nick and Mary hoped that their family business would succeed - Nick and Mary hoped that their family business would be successful.
In the passive voice:
- The travelers knew that they would be forced to return anyway. The travelers knew they would be forced to return anyway.
Future Continuous in the Past
Long-term action in the future, perceived from the position of the past.
- Mike said that he would be working at that time tomorrow. Mike said that he would be working at this time tomorrow.
- I expected that I would be sleeping at 9. - I thought that at nine o'clock I would sleep.
- We understood that Anna would not be assisting us. We realized that Anna would not help us.
Future Perfect in the Past
A completed action in the future, perceived from the perspective of the past. The form is rarely used.
In active voice:
- We hoped we would have finished the project by Monday. We hoped to finish the project by Monday.
In the passive voice:
- We hoped that the project would have been finished by Monday. – We hoped that the project would be finished by Monday/
Future Perfect Continuous in the Past
A process that will last in the future until some point, perceived from the point of view of the past. Practically not used even in writing.
He told us that he would have been driving that truck for 10 years next year. He told us that next year it will be 10 years since he drives this truck.
Summary table of Future in the Past times
| All forms of Future in the Past | ||
|---|---|---|
| active voice | Passive voice | |
| Future Simple in the Past |
would + verb I said that I would go. |
would be + past participle (3rd form of the verb) I said that I would be gone. |
| Future Continuous in the Past |
would be + present participle (verb-ing) I said that I would be going. |
|
| Future Perfect in the Past |
would have + past participle (3rd form of the verb) | |
The English language, when studied superficially, is full of contradictions. Where else, for example, will you meet such a group of tenses as Future in the Past, which is translated into Russian as “the future in the past”? It would seem that common sense itself opposes the combination of actions that have already taken place with those situations that have yet to happen. But if you thoroughly understand the essence of the issue, it turns out that in Russian the future often exists in the context of the past tense. Consider, for example, the phrase: "He said he wouldn't come tomorrow." In this case, the first verb (said) is in the past tense, but the second action (will not come) refers to the future. FROM Future in the Past Simple everything is exactly the same. This tense group, which includes 4 tenses, is used in subordinate clauses after the verb in the Past Simple (simple past tense).
If the simple future tense (Future Simple) speaks of the future relative to the present, thenfuture past tense in englishtells about what will happen in the future from the point of view of the past. In other words, the action we mentioned at some point in the past was the future:
He said that he would not come tomorrow. He said he won't come tomorrow.
I believed you would find my letter. - I believed that you would find my letter.
What is Future in the Past Simple?
In English, the future in the past is not distinguished into a separate group of tenses. English-language manuals offer to study Future in the Past in the context of tense coordination. The verb would (form will) also comes up in those situations when indirect speech is parsed:I said I would give him some money . However, in Russian textbooks they often talk about the future in the past as a separate group of tenses, which includes Future Simple in the Past, Future Perfect in the Past, and Future Perfect Continuous in the Past.
All four of the above tenses are used to emphasize that the action we place in the subordinate clause will happen later than the main action in the past. For example,My friend hoped that you would miss this party (My friend hoped that you would miss this party) . In the example presented, the verb "hoped" would happen before the person in question misses or doesn't miss the party.
It is noteworthy that Future in the Past necessarily implies the presence of a verb in the Past Simple in the main clause. If this rule is not observed, there can be no talk of any future tense in the past. It is also important to mention that Future in the Past is often used after verbs of speaking (say, tell) or after verbs of feelings and knowledge (hope - hope, believe - believe, know - know, think - think, etc.).
I thought you wouldn't visit me. - I thought you wouldn't visit me.
Rules for the formation of the Future in the Past
Future past tense in English, as we said, is used in a subordinate clause. To form it, we always need the auxiliary verb would. In the first person (I, we) sometimes you can also meet should. However, would is still preferable. Thus, the basic scheme of education Future in the Past is as follows:
Subject + Would + semantic verb.
Jane said she would meet with him. Jane said she would meet him.
Since this tense is used exclusively in subordinate clauses, it is difficult to imagine the use of interrogative constructions in Future in the Past. However, the question can be expressed using the union if:
I asked him if he would come tomorrow. I asked him if he would come tomorrow.
The negative construction in Future in the Past is created by adding not to the auxiliary verb would.
Jane said she would not meet with him. Jane said she wouldn't meet him.
In English speech, the auxiliary verb would is often shortened to the letter d, which is attached to the pronoun with an apostrophe (""):
Jane said she "d meet with him.
The negative construction would not can be shortened to wouldn "t.
Jane said she wouldn't meet with him.
It is also important to note that the scheme for the formation of the future in the past will depend on what specific time from this group we are dealing with. The above structure is suitable for Future Simple in the Past . For other tenses, in addition to would, other auxiliary verbs will be required.
Future Simple in the Past
Of all the times of the group, the future is in the past Future Simple in the Past - perhaps the most common. As you might guess from the name, this tense is used to report simple, short-lived actions that, relative to a certain moment in the past, are the future.
My friend knew that he would be late this evening. My friend knew that he would be late this evening.
For Education Future Simple in the Past we need the auxiliary verb would. The form of the semantic verb will remain unchanged if we are talking about the active voice. In the passive voice (cases when the subject experiences some action), the scheme for the formation of the future simple in the past is as follows:
Subject + would be + semantic verb in the third form (past participle).
He knew that his house would be sold. He knew that his house would be sold.
Future Continuous in the Past
The future continued in the past is another tense with which there is, albeit small, but still a chance to encounter in colloquial practice. Unlike the previous, simple time, Future Continuous in the Past expresses an action extended over time. It can be a dream, work, writing an article, preparing homework, etc. And, of course, this very action must be future in relation to the past. For example:
I thought I would be reading your article at that time tomorrow. - I thought I would be reading your article at this time tomorrow.
She supposed that her child would be sleeping at 17. - She assumed that her child would be sleeping at 17 o'clock.
In order to receive an offer in Future Continuous in the Past , the auxiliary verbs would and be are needed. Small transformations also occur with the semantic verb: in this case, the suffix -ing must be added to the stem of the word.
Subject + would be + semantic verb with -ing.
I said I would be working all day tomorrow. I said that I would work all day tomorrow.
Future Perfect in the Past and Future Perfect Continuous in the Past
Future Perfect in the Past is extremely rare in English. This time differs from others in that it characterizes the completed action. Often the future perfect in the past can be identified by the preposition by. This marker indicates the end time of the action (by Monday - by Monday, by 5 o "clock - by 5 o'clock ...). At the same time, as in other times of the Future in the Past group, the action in question is future for a moment in the past.
We supposed that she would have published that novel by the end of January. We thought that she would publish this novel by the end of January.
In the example presented, the assumption expressed by the verb in the Past Simple occurred before the publication of the novel.
When building a phrase in Future Perfect in the Past, you cannot do without the auxiliary verb would. We also need the constant companion of the Perfect group - the verb have. The semantic verb is put in the third form. As a result, we get just such a formula for constructing a sentence in the future perfect in the past.
Subject + would + have + semantic verb in the 3rd form.
I hoped I would have finished this project by Christmas. - I was hoping to finish this project by Christmas.
In this varietyfuture past tense in Englishthere is also a form of passive voice, which is formed according to the same principle as sentences in the active voice. Only in the passive voice is there an additional auxiliary verb been:
Subject + would + have + been + semantic verb in the 3rd form.
I hoped that the project would have been finished by Christmas. - I was hoping the project would be completed by Christmas.
Even less often than Future Perfect in the Past, Future Perfect Continuous in the Past is found in English. You may not even find the last, fourth tense from the group of the future past, even in good British books. But purely theoretically, it is quite possible to construct a phrase in the future perfect continued in the past.
So, Future Perfect Continuous in the Past is used when we need to report a continuous action that will last until a certain time point in the future. At the same time, this very action, again, is the future in relation to the past. In other words, if in the past we say (hope, believe, etc.) that at such and such a moment in the future so many years (months, weeks) will be completed, as we will perform some long-term action, then it is necessary to use Future Perfect Continuous in the Past.
He said that he would have been working in that company for 2 years next month. - He said that next month it will be 2 years since he has been working in this company.
For the formation of this complex time in every sense, an auxiliary construction would have been required. The semantic verb is put in the ing form:
Subject + would + have + been + semantic verb ending in ing.
I told that I would have been studying French for 3 years next year. - I said that next year it will be three years since I learn French.
It is clear that in real life, of all the times of the group of the future in the past, the most in demand Future Simple in the Past . It is unlikely that you or your interlocutor in fast colloquial speech will want to build bulky structures with Future Perfect in the Past or, even more so, with Future Perfect Continuous in the Past. That is why, when studying the future in the past, it is necessary to rely on its simplest form.
