• I told you he was going to come  to the party. ( p l a n )

was/were + going to + verb

• I knew Julie would make  dinner. ( e x p e c t a t i o n / p o s s i b l i t i t y )

would + verb

• I always knew you were going to get married . ( p r e d i c t i o n )

• You promised me you were going to help me study ( p r o m i s e )

It is used to express the idea that in the past you thought something

would happen in the future.

• We were just going to leave when Jean fell and hurt her ankle.was/were + just + going to + infinit ive

• I was just about to telephone her when se walked int the house.

was/were + about to + verb

It is used to describe events which were interrupted (just/when/was about to)

• The last t ime I met Jane, she was leaving   for a new job in Italy the fol lowing day.

• I saw the house that I  was to   l ive in for the next six months.

• There was no point in invit ing the Robinsons, as they  were leaving   the day before the party.

When we refer to past events and we want to express something that

was in the future at that time.

Einstein was stil l a young man. His

discoveries had not yet been published but

they were to change our whole view of the

universe.

It is often used in narrative to describe 'events that were

destined to happen':