A Plan That Never Happened
I can narrate an abandoned plan while distinguishing what the grammar says from what the story confirms.
Try the activities, then check your answers.
Try the activities, then check your answers.
Choose a short recording.
Your situation
Sofia was going to record an interview on Saturday. Her guest said he would arrive at ten. Sofia was about to start a sound check when a message arrived: the guest’s train had been cancelled. They postponed the interview. The title describes this particular story, not the meaning of was going to in every sentence.
Read the situation transcript
Sofia was going to record an interview on Saturday. Her guest said he would arrive at ten. Sofia was about to start a sound check when a message arrived: the guest’s train had been cancelled. They postponed the interview. The title describes this particular story, not the meaning of was going to in every sentence.
What actually establishes that the recording did not happen as planned?
Compare your idea
The cancellation message and the explicit statement that they postponed it.
How it works
Use was going to for the earlier plan, would for the guest’s reported future arrival, and was about to for the imminent sound check. Each looks forward from a point in the past.
Tell the outcome separately. Here the plan failed because the story explicitly says it was postponed. In another story, Sofia was going to record an interview, and she did is fully coherent.
Past plan → was going to. Reported future → would. Imminent action → was about to. Outcome → explicit continuation.
Reference situation
Sofia was going to record an interview.
This establishes the earlier plan.
Contrasting viewpoint
Her guest said he would arrive at ten.
This reports his future prospect from the past.
Hear the examples
Sofia was going to record an interview.
This establishes the earlier plan.
Her guest said he would arrive at ten.
This reports his future prospect from the past.
She was about to start the sound check.
This presents the check as imminent.
They postponed the recording after the cancellation message.
This establishes the actual outcome.
One mistake worth avoiding
Instead of: Was going to proves the recording was cancelled even without any context.
Say: The cancellation and postponement establish the failed plan in this story.
The past-plan form alone does not settle its fulfilment.
You say
Hear the prompt, answer aloud, then deliberately reveal or hear one possible model. Check it and retry with a changed detail.
Your turn 1
Set up a past plan without yet revealing the outcome.
Compare a possible model
Reveal the model text
I was going to record an interview on Saturday.
Check yourself: Leave the result open.
Retry with one detail of your own. Other wording is welcome when it meets this check.
Your turn 2
Introduce an interruption at an imminent moment.
Compare a possible model
Reveal the model text
I was about to check the sound when the message arrived.
Check yourself: Use about to for imminence.
Retry with one detail of your own. Other wording is welcome when it meets this check.
Your turn 3
Complete two different endings for the same plan.
Compare a possible model
Reveal the model text
I was going to record it, and I did. In the other version, I was going to record it, but we postponed it.
Check yourself: Show that context, not the form alone, determines fulfilment.
Retry with one detail of your own. Other wording is welcome when it meets this check.
Two guided self-checks
Say or write your answer before opening a model.
Self-check 1
Identify would in “He said he would arrive at ten”: habitual action or reported future?
Compare a model and explanation
Reported future.
His earlier statement establishes the past viewpoint.
Self-check 2
Add a fulfilled ending to “Sofia was going to record…”
Compare a model and explanation
Sofia was going to record the interview, and she did.
This continuation is grammatically coherent.
Check your understanding
Choose one answer to each question, then check your answers. One of the ten questions is listening.
Automatic scoring needs JavaScript. Use the answer key after attempting all ten questions.
Answer key with explanations
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Sofia was going ___ an interview.
to record: Was going to takes a base verb.
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The guest said he ___ arrive at ten.
would: Would plus base reports the future from the earlier saying.
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Which fact establishes the failure of the original plan?
They explicitly postponed the recording.: The narrative supplies the outcome.
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Which action was imminent when the message arrived?
Starting the sound check: Was about to locates the imminent action.
-
Is “She was going to record it, and she did” coherent?
Yes: Was going to allows fulfilled intentions.
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Correct “She was about to starting the check.”
She was about to start the check.: About to takes the base form.
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Does the guest’s statement prove he actually arrived?
No: A reported future prospect is not proof of the eventual event.
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What caused the change of plan in this story?
The guest’s train was cancelled.: The audio names the cancellation as the reason for postponement.
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Which retelling keeps the layers separate?
She planned to record, was about to test the sound, and then postponed the interview.: The correct retelling distinguishes plan, imminence and actual outcome.
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What should you remember beyond this story?
A past prospect does not, by itself, establish fulfilment or failure.: The discourse must supply the eventual outcome.
Take it with you
I can narrate an abandoned plan while distinguishing what the grammar says from what the story confirms.