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Grammar, be to + infinitive
Vocabulary &
Pronunciation Julio Molina from Peru asks:
Quizzes I like the learning English section of the BBC web
The Flatmates pages so much. Please, can you explain the use of
the verb to be + to in these examples:
Community

For teachers You are not to smoke

Specials They are to be married soon
About us
more
Downloads Roger replies:
questions

We use be to + infinitive when discussing formal or official

arrangements or to give formal instructions or orders and your
examples illustrate these aspects very well. Further examples
might be:

The Prime Minister is to make a further visit to Devon

next week.

We are to receive a pay rise in line with inflation in

September.

I don't mind her going to Ruth's party but she's not

to be back late.

You are not to leave this house without my

permission. Is that clear?

The be to + infinitive structure is also frequently used in

newspaper, radio and television reports to refer to future events.
It expresses near certainty that what is forecast will happen.
Study the following:

A man is to appear in court later this morning charged

with the murder of the footballer, Darren Gough.

The Ministry of Trade and Industry has announced

that it is to move three thousand jobs out of the
capital and re-locate them in the North East.

Work is to begin this week on the new bridge across

the Nile north of Aswan.

We often use be to + infinitive in the if-clause in conditional

sentences when talking about preconditions for something to
happen. Study the following:

If we are to catch that train, we shall have to leave

now.

If I were to increase my offer from five hundred to

five hundred and fifty pounds, would you be
interested in selling me your car then?

If we are to solve the world's pollution problems, we

must address environmental issues now.

Be to + passive infinitive is often used when giving instructions.

It is noticeable always on medicine bottles and can be seen on
other official notices too:

To be taken three times a day after meals.

These benches are not to be removed from the

changing rooms.

No food of any kind is to be taken into the

examination room.

Note that although this structure is used to talk about current and
future arrangements and events, it is configurated in present and
past tenses - see the above examples. However, be to + perfect
infinitive is sometimes used to show that a planned event did not
materialise:

He was to have appeared in the West End show but

broke his collar bone during rehearsals.

They were to have picked strawberries this morning,

but the torrential overnight rain made the field too
muddy.

Sammy was to have married Sarah but then Jamie

came along and the engagement ring he had given
her was returned.

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