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Anonymous Posted 15 years ago
Grammar
Subject + BE verb + to + infinitive ?
When I read an essay or novel which is written in English language
I usually come across sentences that is somehow made me puzzled
I always wonder what type of grammar tenses are they?
And when and how should them be used in conversational chat or in writing essay ?
I'm going to write them down :
-The queen called her huntsman before her. " you are to take Snow White
into the forest," she said.
-I was to call you yesterday but I could not.
-You are to find out who I am.
Subject + Be verb + to + infinitive
what is these sentences grammatically called ?
I usually come across sentences that is somehow made me puzzled
I always wonder what type of grammar tenses are they?
And when and how should them be used in conversational chat or in writing essay ?
I'm going to write them down :
-The queen called her huntsman before her. " you are to take Snow White
into the forest," she said.
-I was to call you yesterday but I could not.
-You are to find out who I am.
Subject + Be verb + to + infinitive
what is these sentences grammatically called ?
Top answer
Quirk et al. call it a modal idiom "expressing futurity, with varied connotations of 'compulsion', 'plan', 'destiny' according to context. "
- Quirk et al.
- call it a modal idiom "expressing futurity, with varied connotations of 'compulsion', 'plan', 'destiny' according to context.
- "
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4 Answers
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Quirk et al. call it a modal idiom "expressing futurity, with varied connotations of 'compulsion', 'plan', 'destiny' according to context. In the past, was to and were to express futurity from the standpoint of past time orientation."
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AnonymousI was to call you yesterday but I could not.This type of sentences typically have an obligatory and commanding connotation.
-You are to find out who I am.
Every employee is to follow company codes of conduct. He is not to use company resources f
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how could i use it correctly and when ?
what is it called in grammatical term ?
what is it called in grammatical term ?
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I have already told you that it is a modal idiom. It is a rather formal structure used, as Quirk said, for future actions, often with the feeling of compulsion, plan or destiny.
you are to take Snow White into the forest -- command for the future
I was to call you yesterday but I could not.-- a plan (future-in-the-past)
You are to find out who I am.
you are to take Snow White into the forest -- command for the future
I was to call you yesterday but I could not.-- a plan (future-in-the-past)
You are to find out who I am.
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