C1b · GRAMÁTICA · TEMA 6
Future tenses: probabilidad y el futuro visto desde el pasado
En C1 hablamos del futuro con distintos grados de certeza y también del "futuro en el pasado": lo que iba a pasar.
⏱️ En 30 segundos
✅ Probabilidad: be bound to, be likely to, be sure to (alta) / be unlikely to (baja).
✅ Inminente o formal: be on the verge of, be set to, be to.
✅ Futuro en el pasado: was going to, would, was about to, was to.
✅ was going to suele implicar que el plan no se cumplió.
🇪🇸 Cómo se dice en español
be bound to → seguro que… / ser casi seguro que
be likely to · be unlikely to → es probable que · es poco probable que
be on the verge of → estar a punto de / al borde de
I was going to call you → Te iba a llamar
1. Grados de certeza
Expresión
Certeza
Ejemplo
be bound to
Casi segura
Prices are bound to go up.
be likely to
Probable
She's likely to get the job.
be unlikely to
Improbable
It's unlikely to snow in Quito.
be set to / be to
Previsto (periodismo)
The president is to visit Japan.
2. Futuro en el pasado
I was going to call you, but I forgot.
Te iba a llamar, pero se me olvidó.
I was about to leave when the phone rang.
Estaba a punto de salir cuando sonó el teléfono.
Little did she know that she was to become president.
No sabía que llegaría a ser presidenta. (narrativo)
💡 be on the verge of / on the point of + -ing: The company is on the verge of collapsing.
⚠️ Errores típicos de hispanohablantes
He is likely to won.
✓ He is likely to win.
to + verbo base.
It's probable that it rains.
✓ It's likely to rain. / It'll probably rain.
Formas naturales en inglés.
I was going to went.
✓ I was going to go.
going to + verbo base.
They're on the verge to sign.
✓ They're on the verge of signing.
of + -ing.
✍️ Practica
Elige la respuesta correcta. Te decimos al instante si acertaste.
Don't worry, he's ___ to call. He always does.|bound; about; due|0|Casi seguro: bound to.
We ___ go to the beach, but it rained.|would; were going to; are going to|1|Plan no cumplido.
The two companies are on the verge of ___ .|merge; merging; to merge|1|of + -ing.
It's ___ that the shop will open on Sunday.|unlikely; unlikely to; unsure to|0|It's unlikely that…
The Prime Minister ___ meet the King tomorrow.|is to; is about; is on the point|0|Previsto oficial: be to.
I ___ to say the same thing!|was about; was going; would|0|was about to: a punto de.
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