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Redkiddy Posted 21 years ago
Grammar

How was I to know?

Can you tell me grammar explanation of these sentence. " be to know" is it a special phrase
or modal.... I think it is similar to "be supposed to "

thank you....
  

Top answer

"to be to" usually expresses an obligation or expectation. For example I tell someone "You were to know it" - it means that he\she was supposed to know it or I expected him\her to know something (sometimes it can be replaced by "should"). g.

— Maverick88

  • "to be to" usually expresses an obligation or expectation.
  • For example I tell someone "You were to know it" - it means that he\she was supposed to know it or I expected him\her to know something (sometimes it can be replaced by "should").
  • g.
  • "Sharon and Abbas are to negotiate" - here the "are to" expresses an expectation, that they are going to negotiate.
  • Does it help?
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2 Answers
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"to be to" usually expresses an obligation or expectation.
For example I tell someone "You were to know it" - it means that he\she was supposed to know it or I expected him\her to know something (sometimes it can be replaced by "should").
I often see such headlines in news, e.g. "Sharon and Abbas are to negotiate" - here the "are to" expresses an expectation, that they are going to ne
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thank you maverick88

I have heard it before in which it is used for future tense meaning but here it is used like" it is expected" or "it is supposed to "" ....
thank you again........
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