LANGUAGE IN FOCUS QUIZ 1 • ANSWER KEY
Group A
Future in the past
1 on the verge of getting: To be on the verge of doing
something means to be very close to doing it.
2 was supposed to inform: To be supposed to do
something means to be expected to do it, but fail to do
so.
3 were about to leave: To be about to do something
means to be very close to doing it.
4 the important guest would arrive: Would is used to
denote a future action (would arrive) seen from the past
perspective (hoped), so in the Reported Speech.
5 would be/was talking to: Would be talking to can be
used to denote a future action in progress at a certain
time (would be talking) seen from the past perspective
(knew), so in the Reported Speech; Was talking to
(the Past Continuous) can be used to talk about fixed
arrangements for the future as seen from the past
perspective (knew), so in the Reported Speech.
© Pearson 2017    FOCUS 5    PHOTOCOPIABLE
Group B
Future in the past
1 on the point of calling: To be on the point of doing
something means to be very close to doing it.
2 would damage: Would is used to denote a future action
(would damage) seen from the past perspective (was
worried), so in the Reported Speech.
3 was about to begin: To be about to do something
means being very close to doing it.
4 they were doing: The Past Continuous is used to talk
about fixed arrangements for the future (were doing)
seen from the past perspective (knew), so in the
Reported Speech.
5 were supposed to write: To be supposed to do
something means to be expected to do it, but failing to
do so.