Education simple future in the past. The Future in the Past Simple Tense (Future tense in the past)

The grammar of the English language cannot be called illogical, because anyone who has come across its rules in one way or another can note that all tense forms have a clear structure and order, and almost every instance of the use of a particular construction can be explained. But one cannot help but say that the English language, from the point of view of tense formation, is completely similar to Russian. It has its own characteristics, and some rules are specific to this language. In particular, such a temporary form as Future in the Past V English language.

This construction has no analogues in Russian grammar. As the name implies, with the help of such a structure the future time is expressed, which, however, is inextricably linked with the past. It is this time and its peculiarities of formation and use that will be discussed further.

The essence of time

Although keyword the name of this form is Future, this type time is applicable to special situations. We are talking primarily about complex sentences, where the main part is used in the past tense, for example, in, and the dependent part, which even though it refers to the future, nevertheless, the simple Future cannot be used here, and in this case the form is relevant and forced Future in the Past. This is very often found in indirect speech (Reported Speech), when the Future in the Past Tense is used after the author’s words in the past.

Just like the simple future tense, the future in the past in English has the same categories - Simple, Continuous, Perfect and Perfect Continuous. For clarity, below is a table of such forms and the formulas by which they are formed:

Next, we should describe in more detail the features of using each tense Future in the Past in English and give examples of their use. In addition, for these two constructions – Simple and Perfect – you can also form Passive forms, i.e. according to the same principle as the ordinary future tense.

Using Fut Indefinite in the Past

A similar structure is relevant in English when it is necessary to show a typical situation in the future. The only difference is that it is used after the past tense, adjoining it as a dependent part. There is no difficulty in formation: it is an auxiliary would (and not will, as in the simple future), and an infinitive without the particle to, in other words, a verb in the first form. In sentences Future Indefinite in the Past it looks like this:

· Peter told me that he would return quite soon - Peter told me that he would return quite soon
· I wanted to know when Mr. Richards would call me again - I asked when Mr. Richards would call me again

As can be seen from the examples, the Future Simple in the Past is often preceded by the Past Simple, which is main reason use of this tense form.

Education and use of Fut Continuous in the Past

A time like this Future Continuous in the Past is almost completely analogous to the usual long future tense. The only difference is that here the relationship with the past is directly traced, and the process in the future is in any case connected with the past and depends on it.

Education is similar to regular Fut. Continuous, only here the auxiliary verb is would, which shows the attitude towards the past. The formula is: would + be + V(–ing). There is certainly a similarity here with Past Continuous, however the duration is aimed at an action in the future:

· My wife said that the following day she would be working the whole morning. My wife told me that the next day she would work all morning.
· My friends didn’t tell me that next week they would be lying on the beach at this time. My friends didn't tell me that they would be lying on the beach at this time next week.

Application and structure of Fut Perfect in the Past

Another tense form in which English differs from Russian is the Future Perfect in the Past. In this construction, the basis is the completeness and completeness of the action associated with the future, but due to the dependence on the past, time cannot be simply Future, it takes the form of Future in the Past, and, moreover, Perfect.

A structure is formed by adding an auxiliary to would verb have, characteristic of the perfect, and the main verb, standing in the third form, or Past Participle, as it is correctly called. Here are the situations that such a construction looks like in speech:

· I showed him the man who would have finished the whole experiment by next Friday. I showed him the very person who would complete the experiment by next Friday.
· I wondered why John would have left the house when we came. I asked why John would already be gone by the time we arrived.

Construction and application of Fut Perfect Continuous in the Past

There is another form that is used quite rarely in English, but it is possible to come across it, which means we need to talk about it. This is the Future Perfect Continuous in the Past, a structure where we're talking about about an action that at a specific moment in the future will have been ongoing for some time. Many find a connection here with Past Perfect Continuous, however, this tense still refers to the future, despite the fact that it is forced to change due to the influencing main part in the past.

It looks like this: would + have + been + V(–ing), i.e. almost the same as a regular Future, except for the form of the auxiliary verb, where it changes from will to would.

Sentences with this construction are rarely used, but this does not prevent us from giving a few examples:

· He invited me to come the following day and said that by next month he would have been living there for 5 years. He invited me to come and said that by next month he will have lived there for 5 years
· She informed me that by 2019 she would have been working on her project for 10 years. She told me that by 2019 it will be 10 years since she has been working on her project

As you can see, the English language is rich in its specific features, and the future in the past tense is one of them. The examples described above will help you better understand how similar tense forms are formed and used in different situations. And the presented structures themselves can be a good help in speech and will help demonstrate to the interlocutor your knowledge of these unusual constructions, which, nevertheless, from the point of view of all existing grammatical norms, are absolutely correct and logical.

You and I said that in complex sentences the main part dictates its own rules to the subordinate part. This happens when the main one is in the past tense. Be sure to read it to understand what we are talking about.

Let me just remind you briefly: if the main clause is in the past tense, then the verb in the subordinate clause is put in the past tense. Therefore the Russian sentence:

Converts to English:

Would is the past tense form of the verb will.

Future in the Past in English: rule

This is the Future in the Past: future time perceived from the past. We said that this construction is often used when we convey the words of another person. Accordingly, the moment when the words were spoken will be in the past.

Remember that Future in the Past is not just another “another” verb tense (otherwise you might end up hating English!). This is just one of the forms of the future tense. Now you will be convinced of this.

How is Future in the Past formed in English?

Future in the Past is formed in the same way as any of the future tense forms in English. There are four of these forms: Simple, Continuous, Perfect and Perfect Continuous. Only one part is subject to change: will becomes would(or should, which historically is the past tense form for shall). Abridged version - ‘d.

I knew you’d come, spring! – I knew you would come, spring!

Examples with translation for Future in the Past

1. Future Simple in the Past. From the name it follows that it is formed from and denotes a simple action in the future, perceived from the past:

The snow will melt. => I knew the snow would melt.

The simple tense is the most commonly used. When talking about Future in the Past we usually mean exactly Simple form. But there are other forms that originate from the three remaining forms: Continuous, Perfect and Perfect Continuous. They are used less often, but we cannot help but talk about all the pitfalls.

2. Future Continuous in the Past. Derived from and denotes a process that will continue at a certain point in the future. Of course, also perceived from the past.

I will be cycling at noon. => He said he would be cycling at noon.

3. Future Perfect in the Past. Derived from the Future Perfect and denotes an action that will be completed by a certain point in the future, perceived from the past.

I will have got a driver's license by June. => I knew I would have got a driver’s license by June.

Using the same principle, the Perfect Continuous Future in the Past can be formed. But it is used so rarely that we will not clutter your head with this form.

Future in the Past in English: table

Let's systematize all the forms in a small table.
⠀

Future in the Past Passive: passive voice in English

Future in The Past can also take passive forms. Let me remind you that the passive voice is used when the person or thing on which the action is performed is more important to us, and not the one who performed the action.

We will be heard. – We will be heard (we don’t know who exactly will hear, and it doesn’t matter, the action is performed ABOVE us).

And for the passive voice the same rule for the formation of Future in the Past applies: will becomes would.

I knew we would be heard. “I knew they would hear us.”

Let's summarize: Future in the Past in simple words

• If the verb in the main clause is in the past tense, then the verb in the subordinate clause must be in one of the past tenses.
• For the future tense it will be the construction Future in the Past.
• It is formed very simply: the verb will is replaced by would (or should). The short form is ‘d.

Exercises on Future in the Past

And after a few “approaches” you will use this design automatically.

I said that there are four future tenses that we can use in the past tense. Today we will look at Future Continuous in the Past- future continuous in the past.

We use it when in the past (for example, last summer), we talk about actions/events that will happen in the future, focusing on their duration.

Look at the examples: “They hoped that they would rest all day. He thought she would be studying for an exam all evening».

In all these sentences we are talking about long-term processes. It is easy to construct such sentences. Now I will teach you this.

But since in the first part we use the past tense, then according to the rule of tense coordination, we cannot use the future tense in the second part. So we have to make Future Continuous past. It's very simple!

We just need to replace will with would.

……..they would be play ing football all day.
……..they will play football all day.

……..he would be study ing the whole evening.
……..he will study all evening.

Now let's connect the two parts together. In writing, to connect two parts of a sentence, we often use the word that, which is translated as “what.” But in colloquial speech we usually omit that.

The education scheme will be as follows:

Actor + said/thought/told + (that) + actor + would be + -ing verb

She said (that) she would be work ing all day.
She said she would work all day.

They thought (that) he would be driv ing all night long.
They thought he would drive all night.

He knew (that) they would be walk ing.
He knew that they would walk.

Negation in the form of Future Continuous in the Past in English

We can add a negation to the first or second part to make the sentence negative.

Denial in the first part

Since in the first part it is used Time Past Simple, then the negation is formed using the auxiliary verb of this tense did and the negative particles not.

They are usually abbreviated like this:

did + not = didn’t

In this case, the action itself will now stand in initial form, that is, not to change in any way (say, tell, hope). Scheme for the formation of such a sentence:

Actor + didn't + say/think/tell + (that) + actor + would be + verb with -ing

He didn't know (that) he would be study ing at that time.
He didn't know what he would do at this time.

She didn't think (that) she would be cook ing the whole evening.
She didn't know what she would be cooking all evening.

Denial in the second part

To make the second part negative, we need to put not after would.

We can shorten:

would + not = wouldn't

The outline of such a proposal would be as follows:

Actor + said/thought/told + (that) + actor + wouldn’t + be + -ing verb

He said (that) he wouldn't be sleep ing the whole morning.
He said he wouldn't sleep all morning.

They thought (that) they wouldn't be walk ing.
They thought that they would not walk.

Interrogative form in the Future Continuous in the Past in English

If we want to ask a question, then we need to change the first part a little. For this we put an auxiliary verb did to the first place in the sentence, and the action itself to the initial form.

The proposal outline will be as follows:

Did + actor + say/think/tell + (that) + actor + would be + -ing verb

Did she say(that) she would be watch ing a movie?
She said she would watch the movie?

Did they know(that) they would be work ing?
Did they know they would work?

We have discussed the theory, and now let's consolidate the use of Future Continuous in the Past in practice.

Reinforcement task

Translate these sentences into English and write them in the comments under the article:

1. He didn’t think that she would rest all evening.
2. She knew that they would study from 5 to 8.
3. They expected that he would not sleep at this time.
4. He said that he would play tennis all evening.
5. She hoped that she would not work at this time?
6. They told us that they would fly all morning.

Leave your answers in the comments below the article.

1. I am afraid I shall be late.
2. Do you think we shall pick all the apples in three days?
3. He hopes you will often visit him.
4. They expect he will be at home in a few days.
5. Are you afraid we shan’t be in time?
6. She promises that she will finish the work in a week.
7. I think Henry will help us.
8. I hope we'll enjoy the show.
9. She expects he'll win the race.

Answers: 1. I was afraid I should be late. 2. Did you think we should pick all the apples in three days? 3. He hoped you would often visit him. 4. They expected he would be at home in a few days. 5. Were you afraid we shouldn’t be in time? 6. She promised that she would finish the work in a week. 7. I thought Henry would help us. 8. I hoped we should enjoy the show. 9. She expected he would win the race.

Exercise 2. Open the brackets using verbs in the Future Simple or Future-in-the-Past Simple.

1. I know we (not to be) late.
2. I knew we (not to be) late.
3. I want to know whether he (to be) at home.
4. I wanted to know whether he (to be) at home.
5. "When are you (to be) ready?" he asked.
6. He asked when I (to be) ready.
7. I can’t say whether Bob (to do) the work perfectly, but he (to do) his best.
8. He asked me whether he (to see) Olga there.
9. Are you sure that we (to have) time to do that?
10. I was afraid he (to say), “I don’t think I (to be) able to come.”
11. I did not know what he (to speak) about.
12. I knew your aunt (to bake) special cookies for all her nieces and nephews.

Answers: we shall not be. 2. We shouldn't be. 3. He will not be. 4. He would be. 5. When will you be. 6. I should be. 7. Bob will do, he will do. 8. He would see. 9. We shall have. 10. He would say, I shall be. 11. He would speak. 12. Your aunt would bake.

Exercise 3. Use the following sentences as additional clauses. Use the sentences given in parentheses as main clauses.

(I supposed; He believed; She was sure; We were told; I heard; She said; He understood; She imagined; The letter said.)

E.g. My brother will be sleeping.

I supposed that my brother would be sleeping.

1. He will solve the problem in no time.
2. The new film will be on in many cinemas.
3. The teacher will have corrected our papers by the beginning of the lesson.
4. She will not like this TV programme.
5. The train will arrive on time.
6. The children will be playing in the yard.
7. All the newspapers will publish this information.
8. They will win the game.
9. I shall go to the south.
10. My sister will not forget to ring me up.
11. I shall have done my homework by nine o’clock.
12. The tourists will not return by sunset.
13. My friends will be waiting for me.
14. My friend will have returned by that time.
15. They will be working the whole evening.
16. He will return this book to the library immediately.

Answers: 1. She imagined that he would solve the problem in no time. 2. I heard that the new film would be on in many cinemas. 3. We were told that the teacher would have corrected our papers by the beginning of the lesson. 4. She imagined that she would not like this TV programme. 5. He believed that the train would arrive on time. 6. She said that the children would be playing in the yard. 7. She was sure that all the newspapers would publish this information. 8. I supposed that they would win the game. 9. He believed that I should go to the south. 10. She was sure that my sister would not forget to ring me up. 11. I supposed that I should have done my work by nine o’clock. 12. We were told that the tourists would not return by sunset. 13. The letter said that my friends would be waiting for me. 14. I supposed that my friend would have returned by that time. 15. He understood that they would be working the whole evening. 16. She was sure that he would return this book to the library immediately.

Exercise 4. Translate into English, paying attention to the tense of the verb in the main sentence.

1. I know he will come soon.
2. I knew he would come soon.
3. I think she will be sleeping at this time.
4. I thought she would be sleeping at this time.
5. She thinks that she will have done all the work by five o'clock.
6. She thought that she would have done all the work by five o'clock.
7. I was sure that by ten o'clock he would have learned the poem.
8. I knew that by nine o’clock my mother would have prepared dinner and at nine o’clock the whole family would be sitting at the table. I was afraid that I would arrive too late.
9. She was afraid that her friend would not come.
10. They wrote that they would arrive soon.
11. I was sure that I would meet him at the station.
12. I think dad will write us a letter soon.
13. Did they tell you that we will be writing a test in December?
14. He realized that he would never forget her.
15. I believe they will remember us.
16. He says he knows this man.

Answers: 1. I know that he will come soon. 2. I knew that he would come soon. 3. I think that she will be sleeping at this time. 4. I thought that she would be sleeping at that time. 5. She thinks that she will have done all the work by five o’clock. 6. She thought that she would have done all the work by five o’clock. 7. I was sure that by ten o’clock he would have learned the poem. 8. I knew that by nine o’clock mother would have cooked supper and at nine o’clock the whole family would be sitting at the table. I was afraid that I should come too late. 9. She was afraid that her friend would not come. 10. They wrote that they would come soon. 11. I was sure that I should meet him at the station. 12. I think that father will soon write a letter to us. 13. Have you been told that in December we shall write a paper? 14. He understood that he would never forget her. 15. I believe that they will remember us. 16. He says he knows this man.

WELL DONE!

Literature:

1. Golitsynsky Yu.B. Grammar: Collection of exercises. - 5th ed., - St. Petersburg: KARO, 2005. - 544 p. - (English for schoolchildren).

Conditional sentences in English. Exercises The Future Simple Tense(Future simple tense). Use and education of time

In English, unlike Russian, there is another form of tense - “future in the past”, which is called ‘Future in the Past’. This form is intended to describe a future action at a specific point in the past.

He said that he would apologize for being late.

He said he would apologize for being late.

Note that the tense Future in the Past is used only in subordinate clauses after verbs such as: think, believe, know, say, hope, tell and others. It is important that to form this form, verbs are put in the past tense form.

Let's look at examples of all forms of using the form Future in the Past according to the tense forms of the future tense.

TABLE OF TIME GROUPS FOR FORMFUTURE IN THE PAST

Future	Future in the past
Future Simple I hope I will arrive on time. I hope I arrive on time.	Future Simple in the Past I hoped I would arrive on time. I hoped I would arrive on time.
Future Continuous She knows we will be working at that time. She knows that we will be working during this time.	Future Continuous in the Past She knew we would be working at that time. She knew that we would be working at this time.
Future Perfect He says they will have prepared all documents by 5 o’clock. He says that they will prepare all the documents by 5 o'clock.	Future Perfect in the Past He said they would have prepared all documents by 5 o’clock. He said that they would prepare all the documents by 5 o'clock.
Future Perfect Continuous They think that by the next year she will have been studying for 4 years. They think that by next year she will have been studying for 4 years.	Future Perfect Continuous in the Past They thought that by the next year she would have been studying for 4 years. They thought that by next year she would have been studying for 4 years.

Please note that all forms of Future in the Past are formed using the auxiliary verb ‘ would’. Negative form used by adding to auxiliary verb negative particle ‘not’, which has the form ‘ wouldn't’ t’.