Future in the Past in English and typical situations of use

19 February 2026

English-learners

Oleksandra Kulish

Book expert

During a superficial study, the English language seems full of paradoxes. Where else can you encounter a tense group like Future in the Past, which literally translates as «future in the past»? At first glance, it sounds illogical: how can events that have already happened be combined with those that are yet to occur?

However, if you delve into the essence, it becomes clear that a similar phenomenon exists in the Ukrainian language as well. For example, in the sentence: «He said that he would not come tomorrow» the first action is expressed in the past tense (said), while the second refers to the future (will not come). In English, the principle of Future in the Past works similarly. Today, we will talk about the formation of Future in the Past, its forms, and common mistakes in its usage.

What is Future in the Past: rules in simple words

In English, the future in the past is not singled out as a separate system of tenses. In most English-language textbooks, Future in the Past is studied within the framework of the sequence of tenses rule. The form would (the past form of will) is also encountered when working with indirect speech. For example:

She said she would call later — She said that she would call later.

At the same time, in the Slavic grammatical tradition, particularly in Ukrainian textbooks, the future in the past is often considered as a separate group of tenses. It usually includes:

Future Simple in the Past.
Future Continuous in the Past.
Future Perfect in the Past.
Future Perfect Continuous in the Past.

All these tense forms are used to show that the action in the subordinate clause is supposed to occur later than the main action, which already belongs to the past. For example:

They believed that the train would arrive on time — They believed that the train would arrive on time.

In this case, the belief existed earlier than the event of the train's arrival itself.

It is worth noting that the word form construction, according to the rules of Future in the Past grammar, necessarily requires the presence of a verb in the Past Simple in the main clause. If this condition is not met, it is incorrect to speak of the future in the past. This form also often appears after verbs of speech (say, tell) and verbs of thought, knowledge, and feelings (expect, suppose, hope, believe, know, etc.).

Future Simple in the Past

Among all forms of the future in the past, Future Simple in the Past occurs most frequently. As the name implies, this tense is used to describe simple and short-term actions that, from the point of view of a certain moment in the past, were still supposed to happen in the future.

For example:

My colleague realized that he would arrive late in the evening. — My colleague realized that he would arrive late in the evening.

To form Future Simple in the Past, the auxiliary verb would is used. The main verb in the active voice does not change its form. If it is in the passive voice, that is, when the subject is acted upon, the sentence structure looks like this:

Subject + would be + verb in the third form (Past Participle).

She believed that the documents would be signed. — She believed that the documents would be signed.

Future Continuous in the Past

Future Continuous in the Past — is a form that can also occur in spoken language, although it is used less frequently. Unlike the simple future in the past, this tense emphasizes the duration of an action that was supposed to occur over a certain period of time after a past moment. Usually, these are processes like studying, working, sleeping, preparing, or completing a task.

The main condition — the action must be future relative to the past moment.

For example:

I believed that I would be preparing for the exam at that hour. — I believed that I would be preparing for the exam at that time.

She thought her parents would be traveling that weekend. — She thought that her parents would be traveling that weekend.

To form this tense, the auxiliary verbs would and be are required, and the main verb takes the -ing form.

Subject + would be + verb with -ing

He mentioned that he would be studying all night. — He mentioned that he would be studying all night.

Future Perfect in the Past

Future Perfect in the Past is extremely rare in English. This form differs from others in that it describes a completed action that, from the point of view of the past, was supposed to have been completed in the future. Quite often, the future perfect in the past can be recognized by the preposition by, which indicates the moment of completion (by Friday — by Friday, by midnight — by midnight).

As in other forms of the Future in the Past group, the action itself remains future relative to a certain past moment.

For example:

They assumed that the report would have been completed by the end of the week. — They assumed that the report would have been completed by the end of the week.

In this sentence, the assumption, expressed in the Past Simple, precedes the completion of the action — the preparation of the report.

To construct a sentence in Future Perfect in the Past, the auxiliary verb would is required, as well as the verb have, characteristic of all perfect tenses. The main verb is in the third form.

Subject + would + have + verb in the 3rd form.

She believed she would have passed the exam by June. — She believed that she would have passed the exam by June.

This tense also has a passive voice form, which is formed according to the same logic as the active, but with the additional auxiliary verb been.

Subject + would + have + been + verb in the 3rd form.

We thought the contract would have been signed by Monday. — We thought that the contract would have been signed by Monday.

Future Perfect Continuous in the Past

Even rarer than Future Perfect in the Past, in English the Future Perfect Continuous in the Past is used. This is the fourth and least used form of the entire future in the past group. Even in fiction, it is almost never encountered, yet from a grammatical point of view, it exists and can be constructed.

Future Perfect Continuous in the Past is applied when it is necessary to describe a prolonged action that, in the future (relative to the past), will continue up to a certain point in time. In other words, if in the past we speak or think about the fact that by a certain future date the action will have already lasted a certain period (a year, a month, several weeks), this form is used.

For example:

He mentioned that he would have been living in that city for five years next summer. — He mentioned that next summer it would be five years since he had been living in that city.

To form this tense, a compound auxiliary construction would have been is needed, and the main verb takes the -ing form.

Subject + would + have + been + verb with -ing.

She said she would have been studying medicine for four years by that time. — She said that by that time she would have been studying medicine for four years.

Top 4 Mistakes in Future in the Past and How to Avoid Them

Future in the Past — is a useful but tricky construction. Even those who are confident in English sometimes make mistakes. Let's look at the most common ones and learn how to avoid them.

1. Confusing would and will

❌ She told me she will visit London next week.
(Incorrect, because the speech refers to the past).

✅ She told me she would visit London the following week.
— She said that she would visit London the following week.

Rule: if the main clause is in the past (told, thought, promised), the future must be in the past — would, not will.

2. Forgetting about was going to for plans

❌ I would meet him at the café, but I was late.
(Here it is better to use was going to).

✅ I was going to meet him at the café, but I was late.
— I was planning to meet him at the cafe, but I was late.

Would + infinitive is used for promises, predictions, or hypothetical situations. Was/were going to describes plans that did not happen.

3. Using incorrect inversion (word order)

❌ Did you think would they accept the invitation?
(Sounds unnatural).

✅ Did you think they would accept the invitation? — Do you think they would accept the invitation?

In direct questions, the auxiliary verb comes first. In an indirect question with would, inversion is not needed — normal word order applies.

4. Forgetting about sequence of tenses

❌ He says he would finish the work today.
(The main clause is in the present, but would is for the past)

✅ If he is speaking now: He says he will finish the work today.
— He says that he will finish the work today.

✅ If he spoke earlier: He said he would finish the work today.
— He said that he would finish the work today.

Will → would if the main clause is in the past (said, thought). Will is used if the main clause is in the present.

Now you know more about how Future in the Past is formed. It makes speech lively, helps convey irony or nostalgia, and adds depth to a story. So next time you recall that your past «self» was thinking about the future, use this construction — and your English will become even more varied!