Have a plan for dinner with his friends

Question

Hi teachers~I am looking for the right expression for this.I didn't need to make dinner yesterday evening because my husband was supposed to eat out with his friends. (and he had dinner with them.)The 'be supposed to eat out' part is really bugging me.If I say 'he was going to have dinner with friends' he planned but it didn't happen. Right?'Was supposed to' sounds like you do it because it's a right thing to do or it's the rule. Not for fun.I am also wondering if you say 'you were supposed to do something, did you actually do it?I would say 'he had a plan for dinner with some friends or simply he had dinner with some friends. And one more question about 'eat out' part.If he is home, 'eat out' sounds ok  but if he is at work can he 'eat out'? I am also wondering if I can 'eat out' with somebody who I don't live with.Thanks ~~

Anonymous · Accepted Answer

pen slide 883If I say 'he was going to have dinner with friends' he planned but it didn't happen. Right?

No, the reverse. You are speaking from a time in the past when it was only a plan. At that time, the situation was that you were acting on the assumption that he would be out. "He was supposed to have dinner with friends" carries more of an implication that he did not have dinner with them in the end than "he was going to", but that is not made clear in either form. You would have to add that information explicitly. If you want to express the least doubt, it is "I didn't need to make dinner yesterday evening because my husband was having dinner with his friends." That is the progressive used to express future intention.

pen slide 883'Was supposed to' sounds like you do it because it's a right thing to do or it's the rule. Not for fun.

I see what you mean, but no. "Supposed to" can mean that, but you have to look at the root meaning of "suppose". It was your supposition that he would be out with friends before he actually did it. You supposed it.

pen slide 883I am also wondering if you say 'you were supposed to do something, did you actually do it?

You would most likely only say that as an accusation if the other person had not in fact done that, but you could also say that for other reasons. The other person might have done that and felt unsure whether he should have, and you reassure him that he was supposed to do that. "Supposed" alone does not tell us what happened.

pen slide 883If he is home, 'eat out' sounds ok but if he is at work can he 'eat out'?

I never thought about it before, but no. "Out" means "not at home" in this context, and it can't mean "not at work" or anyplace else.

pen slide 883I am also wondering if I can 'eat out' with somebody who I don't live with.

In a way. Say you have a date to eat at the diner with your old friend Julie. You can't say "We're eating out" unless you normally meet to eat at your place or hers, but if your husband asks you if you will be home for dinner, you can say, "No. I'm eating out." There may well be other cases. It is hard to think of everything.

Have a plan for dinner with his friends

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