Future-in-the-past

Ex.

Read and translate the sentences. Comment on the use of the Future in the Past.

1. He knew that their paths would cross again. 2. Emma hoped that the baby would be a girl. 3.1 promised Edwina I would help her to dress the tree. 4.1 knew you would do the right thing. I trusted you. 5. Maggie was a kind of woman a man wouldn't look at twice. 6. And he often thought that if he was lucky he would meet another woman one day and fall in love. He would get married again. And hopefully there would be a wife, a home, a family, and his own business. 7. He knew that with Frank in Venice, for a few days he would be able to shake his depression, and recharge his batteries completely. 8. The knowledge that she would have to leave him was an agony-She prayed to God every night that Sigi would succeed in getting the child out of Germany.

Ex.

Put the beginnings and the ends together.

Ex.

These sentences are from C S Forester’s novel The General, set in the First World War. Complete the sentences with expressions from the box.

would stand would make would return was going to be

was going to say was marrying were to tind were to lose

The parlourmaid was in the room and her presence caused Lady Emily not to say immediately what she … . As the Duchess had said, the fact that Emily … a General was a very adequate excuse for so much ceremony at the wedding. There was going to be no muddling in hisCorps. Everything … exact, systematic, perfect. (This was) the front line of the British trench system - in it many men … their lives for the barren honour of retaining that worthless ground. There were six men bending over that map, and five of them … their

graves at the point where the General's finger was stabbing at the map. A vivid flash of imagination, like lightning at night, revealed the future to Curzon. He … to England, a defeated general, one of the men who had let England down. Emily … by him, but he did not want her to have to do so. Emily whom he loved … it all the worse. He would rather die.

Ex.

Replace the infinitives in brackets by the Future-in-the-Past or the Past Indefinite.

1. She (to know) that the fisherman (to return) home late and (to leave) them supper on the kitchen table. 2. On top of my linen I (to put) some books in the suit-case as I (to know) that I (to start) reading as soon as the train (to pull out). 3. He (to know) that in a day or two his friend (to come) and (to apolo­gize) for his rudeness. 4. I (to want) to ask him what (to be) the matter with him, but I (to know) beforehand what answer he (to give). 5. She (to warn) me that at first it (to be) very difficult for me to get along with her people. 6. She (to begin) her story hesitatingly but I (to know) that she (to tell) me everything no matter how difficult it (to be) for her. 7. From the door he (to shout) that he (to be) back in two hours' time. 8. I (to wonder) if I (to be able) to solve such a problem alone without any out­side help. 9. He (to think) that if he (to push) the door hard the lock (to give) way. 10. The instructor (to point) out that only the best sportsmen (to take) part in the All-Union competitions.