Adam
Alex
Benjamin
Emma
Gill
Jade
James
Rebecca
Ronnie
English Grammar: “supposed to” & “going to”
Were yousupposed to do something yesterday? What were you going to do? Learn two simple ways to talk about changed plans in English. Because plans change often, we use a set grammatical structure to express that clearly to others. Once you learn the structure, you will be able to say correctly what was supposed to happen and what actually happened. Watch the lesson, and take my quiz at the end to practice and perfect what you’ve learned.
Quiz
Test your understanding of this English lesson
Test your understanding of the English lesson by answering these questions. You will get the answers and your score at the end of the quiz.Levels
Lesson Topics
264 COMMENTS
Helpful lesson. Thank you Rebecca.
You’re right Yaoqian, this is helpful information for us to communicate more effectively.
The examples on the video helped us to understand much better how to talk about changed plans.
Excellent lesson Rebecca!
kkk
Regino, you are always here..
kk
Congratulations for your attendance!
Hugs!
:D
Welcome to Canada! I wish you the best in your new life and am sure you will do well as you are taking responsibility for your own success by watching these English-learning videos! Whenever people take the initiative to improve their own lives, they can achieve more than they ever imagined. My best wishes to you!
You get a interesting nick name ‘yaoqian’.
It has the same pronunciation as Chinese word ‘want money’
Thank You , Teacher Rebecca!
Very nice lesson indeed. h
dear Rebecca, could you or yours collegues plan a specific lesson about GET and GOT, especially GOT (past tense) with its several meanings?
Here, I got it for you!
https://www.engvid.com/english-vocabulary-get/
We have a few other lessons which focus on various uses of get/ got /have got, etc. Just type what you’re looking for in the search bar in the top right corner, above the main video. All the best!
Hi, Rebecca. Good to see you again. Thank you very much for your lecture.
teacher Rebecca, I heard a song; “If I were a boy”
why the song used “were” instead “was”?
Hello Alfred,
Very good question!
Actually, in CONDITIONAL-type sentences containing “IF” (the sentence you have referred to) we normally use the “were” also for the singular, that is, with I/he/she/it/Peter/my sister etc.
“If I were a boy” is NOT a real situation, but a conditional clause. Also, note that Rebecca’s examples are actually NOT conditional sentences.
EXAMPLE:
If I were you, I wouldn’t travel to that country now. There have been some riots recently.
EXAMPLE:
If I were/was there, I’d definitely give her a hug.
In spoken (that is, not written) English you can use was/were as explained by Rebecca, however, avoid using “was” in “If I were”+pronoun phrases (If I were you, If I were he/him, etc.; he – formal, written, him – spoken). It is considered to be incorrect.
Check out “Present Unreal Conditional” at this page for more info (most grammar books call this conditional “Second Conditional”)
http://www.englishpage.com/conditional/conditionalintro.html
Hope this is a bit more clear now.
Regards,
David
Thanks, David, for taking the time to help us out. All the best!
Hi AlfedMz
maybe this can help you:
https://www.engvid.com/wish-subjunctive/
Oh. I think that is the structure of conditional sentence.Verb”to be” we must divided into “were”.
As I know, when we use conditional sentence (if…), any subjects have to be used with “were”. Actually, saying “If I was a boy” is correct, but you should always use with “were”. I don’t know why but it’s just what I’ve learned :)) And it’s a very nice song of Queen Bee, too :))
I am happy I got 100!!
Very important thank you very much
Hi, Rebecca! Thank you so much for your precious lesson!
Thank you, Rebecca :)
Hi Rebecca! Thanks a lot for your lessons. You speak very clearly and explain them very well. If possible, could you make a lesson explaining the difference between ‘revise’ and ‘review’? Thank you.
Thanks for the lesson suggestion! Always happy to hear from another English teacher. All the best to you and your students in Brazil.
Thanks Rebecca for this lesson!
I was supposed to find out this subject difficult, but you explained it very well and I learnt it with confidence.
kkkk
very funny
:D
Happy to hear it. All the best to you!
TheDear teacher Rebecca I have not any other word to thank you just to appreciate your method of teaching that have attracted so many eager students from different nationality who have had experiences of their countrys,of English teachers method that I am sure were not comparable with yours, in short God bless you &always have healthy which is the Gods most important gift to humans.
thank you your wonderful presentation. I see it really cleary and easy to understand.
Great! Thanks and best wishes!
10/10. thanks so much <3
So simple and easy to understand. thank you so much :)
I got 100, Thanks!
Hello Rebecca! I was supposed to watch a film but your lesson was intrested me and I decided to study English) Thank you!
You have failed, bro. =)
Look at here, that’s correctly: *your lesson was interesting and … bla-bla-bla
rebecca for I as a subject can we use “were” or “was”
after that?
for example: i was supposed to
or
i were supposed to?
It’s “I was supposed to” :)
“I was supposed to” is the only correct option in your example. Please see David’s explanation above to understand when we can use “were” with “I”. All the best!
Thank you, Rebecca ^^
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D6fXyyNZ76w
thank you Rebecca ;) this is for you
Aww, that’s very kind and thoughtful of you. I took a break and listened to the pretty song, which I had not heard before. Thank you! Music is such a lovely way to relax and learn English at the same time. I am sure you will go far with your creative approach to life and your “can-do” attitude. My best wishes to you.
It is my pleasure,I am so happy because of you.You are the best.
Thank you, nice lesson
Thank you!
” You got 10 correct out of 10…. :D ”
thank you very much for the AWESOME lesson Rebecca :)
I got 10/10. Thank you very much, Rebecca ^^
Excellent! Congratulations and best wishes to you.
thanks rebecca
Very cool!!!
‘no food’ :)
really helpful video
It is helpful, thank you for the lesson.
thank you rabecca for the lesson
Thank you!
Simple and useful!
Thanks sister I Got 100 % :D
100%
It was Simply helpful!!
Thank you Rebecca
I really like your accent and your clear speech
Thanks for your feedback. So glad you found the lesson useful. I wish you all the best.
Thanks a lot, it helped a lot
helpful person.
Thank you. It was intelligible, clear and rather simple to understand.
Thank; glad you found the lesson helpful. Each little change we make in our lives adds up to a major improvement. A great recipe for growth and success in life. I wish you all the best.
Of course, I meant to write “thanks”!
Thank you so much. I got 10 correct out of 10 after watching your lesson…
Way to go! My best to you!
thank you
thank u i get it
Thank you, Rebecca
Hi Rebecca!
Very nice lesson and quiz, as usual. Thanks!!
Just a little humble idea:
Why not promote the Canadian’s wonders to the world (cities, Nature Parks, cultural sotries, etc. through your videos?
Foreigners (your viewers among others) could enjoy those wonders and learn English in an English Speaking country in the meantime!!
… and maybe you could even make an extra benefit from it, I mean from local governments or the national one, who knows!?
Hmmm! That’s a good idea, I’ll pass it on. I will add, however, that not all Canadian culture is in English! Many of our cultural treasures are from/in French Canada. And many English-language Canadian cultural institutions, like Hockey Night in Canada, are spreading to other languages as well.
Thank you Rebecca! I got 100%
Thanks My dear teacher this is my first lesson I,ll try my best in the future
Welcome to engvid, my friend. My best wishes to you.
Thanks for your lesson. <3
what is the different between "I was supposed to called " and "I should call" and "I should have called"?Thanks a lot
Sonia
1) I was supposed to call (note my correction)
This sentence is talking about the past. It means you had a plan to call or had promised someone you would call, but you did not.
2) I should call
This sentence is about the future. You are reminding yourself or telling someone that it would be a good idea for you to call or it is necessary for you to call.
3) I should have called.
This sentence is about the past and is similar in meaning but a little stronger than sentence number one. Here, the person is evaluating the result of not having called and is wishing he / she had called.
All the best!
Thanks a lot! Very useful for me
Thank you very much for your lesson
I was supposed to feel upset about my dullness, but this lesson was surprisingly simple for me :)
Thank you, Rebecca and other.
First, thanks for the feedback. Second, I find it more useful to focus briefly on where I am when learning something new, and focus a lot on the direction I am going. Sometimes we make progress slowly and sometimes quickly. What’s important is that we feel proud and happy to move forward, even a little bit every day. All the best!
I was supposed to get 100%, but I failed LoL
I always liked what the famous inventor Thomas Edison said,
“I have not failed. I’ve just found 10,000 ways that won’t work.”
My best to you!
Thank you :) ^^
Thanks Rebecca!
your lessons are very useful!
Hugs!
I got 100 on the quiz once more!!
:D
Thanks,Teacher Rebecca :) that was great.
i got 100, although this lesson was difficult
Got a 100! 10Q Rebecca!
I want to tell you that you look very confident,
Thank you again Ma’am!
helpful and useful lesson:) it was great thanks teacher :)
Thank you Rebecca I am lucky I got 10 correct out of 10. Your meterial online is very useful.
I like what Thomas Jefferson said about luck:
“I’m a greater believer in luck, and I find the harder I work the more I have of it”
My best wishes to you in creating your own luck!
Hello Professor possible to communicate via email, I have need to you and I want to learn English language
9/10 the truth is every time I make plans they fail. So I use that kind of expression often. “We were supposed to pass the vacations on the beach, but when we arrived a blizzard fell down. .??! ” Strange? Well what I intendant was use the expression, so …
You are right. We are good, optimistic souls who make plans with great excitement….but sometimes time gets away from us! At such times, these expressions are useful. All the best, Jorge.
These two structures are useful to talk about changed plans.This is a very helpful lesson and your explanation was crystal clear,same as usual ;-)Many thanks Rebecca.
very helpful lesson. thank you teacher
Thank you Rebeca
Hello Rabecca
great for wonderful lesson,although I have a little doubt about looking to the future using suppose. may I say>? I am suppose to be there at 6 o’clock.
I am supposeD to be there at 6.
All the best!
Thank you for your teaching, Rebecca.
Very helpful lecture. I got 100%. Thank You very mch
Jesus! I’ve got 100!!!
Hallelujah! My best to you.
Great lesson, Rebecca, you are a very good teacher..
Hello Rabecca
thanks for wonderful lesson. it was easy to understand. yeh was pap although, I have doubt if I can use in other tense, like (looking to the future)sayingː I am suppose to be there at 6 o’clock. Another question , can we use will as auxiliary or we use only verb to be…
hey dear teacher, what does the phrasal verb “end up” mean????
I was supposed to go to the party, but I ended up staying at home.
The phrasal verb describes what actually happened, in the end. All the best!
thanks Rebecca
thank you Rebecca :)
Excellent! Really thanks!
great lesson. thank you.
hi rebecca, what is the difference between I was supposed to do sth and I had to do sth?
thank you
In some ways, they are pretty close, but the second one is stronger and indicates more urgency or importance. For example:
I was supposed to take my medicine at 5, but I forgot, so I took it at 6.
I had to register for the conference before I could enter the hall.
The second indicates no option. It is something you must do, or had to do. All the best!
Thank you Rebecca for lesson.I was supposed to pass the quiz with excellent mark, but I failed and got only 9.
Haha! But you were far from failing. I would suggest you drop that unnecessary word from your everyday vocabulary! All the best, my friend.
Thank you Rebecca.
Thanks Rebeca
Rebecca…listening to you, English seems so easy, so clear…I have a feeling that learning is a process more natural that those long hours repeating things I have done before I found EngVid. Thank you very much for your great job!
Wow, if we only had a magic pill to speak another language, right? You are right, relaxed learning definitely helps us to learn more easily and effectively. More experienced teachers try to make things more clear because they cut out all the extra words,sentences and noise, which confuse learners. Yet sometimes, intense repetitive learning is also necessary. The trick is to make the repetition as interesting as possible so we get the benefit, without the boredom! My best wishes to you.
mam can we use going to with singular subject
Thank you Rebecca,so helpful lesson
I was excited with it.
Thanks, Ibrahim. A small correction, though. You should say, “…such a helpful lesson”. Please watch this video to master this very common mistake:
https://www.engvid.com/so-such/
All the best!
Thank you Rebecca
Not too bad for Quit.
Thanks Rebacca.
Hi,
Do these sentences mean same?
I was supposed to get done my homewok by saturday.= i should have done my homework by saturday.
Like this, yes, they mean the same:
I was supposed to get my homework done by Saturday.
I should have done my homework by Saturday.
My best wishes to you.
Hello, please Rebecca Could you please tell me which sentence is correct.
Brazil did not qualify to the world cup.
OR
Brazil was not qualified to the world cup.
The easiest way to express this idea is:
Brazil did not qualify for the world cup.
All the best!
good for all the learner
Thanks very much
posted on 26-Jul-2015
Thanks. I understood very well
Thank you for this small lecture .
Great, great, great lesson!
Thanks, thanks, thanks! And all the best!
thank you for your lesson.
Thank you Rebacca i Killed this exam with flying colors
thanks ..
Great lesson teacher, I have just a little doubt: may you say ” WE HAD TO…” instead ” we were going to ” or we were supposed to? Thank you very much.
Please see my answer to Gabriele, above. All the best!
The best teacher i have ever know!
Thank you kindly for your generous comment. Also, a small correction:
The best teacher I have ever knowN.
My best wishes to you.
Very helpful.Thnx teacher
Thank you Rebacca.I got Eighty.
thumps up teacher rebeca :) ty maam
Thank you all for taking the time to send me your feedback. It helps to bring us all closer in an online environment. I would love to answer each comment, but cannot due to time constraints. I do read all your comments though, so thank you and all the best to each and every one of you.
Hooray! I got 10/10.Thanks Rebecca…..this lesson is really useful
Good day!
Thank you for your lessons. It is so helpful. May I ask you the difference between between two expressions “at the lesson” and “in the lesson” and how do you pronouce “hummus”, because I found different varients and I do not know which is correct. Thank You for your help a lot. I will appreciate that.
Very helpful, Thank you Rebecca!
Thank you Rebeca,awesome Class. Very Good, I got 100, its fun !!
Excelent explanation Rebecca! Thank you so much
Thanks Rebecca
I wasn t supposed to find out this interesting website, now I see myself improving everyday thanks to you
Hi Rebecca very good explanation about this subject….I was not supposed to learn English but now I know it is possible.
Thank you so much for the lesson
Nice lesson . I really enjoy it.
Thank you for the lesson teacher. I’m a happy student. =)
There are many detailed explanations in the teaching video,I’m sure I will use this sentence pattern in next exam.Thank for your teaching!
Rebecca you are very smart!!! Thank
Very nice lesson Prof. Rebecca. I got 100 out of 100. H
Thank you very much for this interesting lesson. It’s very helpful, I know now how to express a changed plan in my daily life.
I’m looking forward to your next video, until then, best wishes.
Hi Rebecca! Does it mean that “was/were going to” and “was/were supposed to” absolutely interchangeable in this case?
many thanks Rebecca
Hi Rebecca! I have 2 questions that confuse me, I hope you will make them clear to me:
1. “Translation/Translating is not a good way to learn a language.” Which should I use?
2. What does the phrase “as the result of” meaning?
Thank you!
Hello. Thank you so much Rebecca.
Hi this video was very helpful.
Thank you Rebecca!
Very useful lesson. Thank you.
Very useful lesson ,very easily understand by the lecture.
Gread
I’m so interesting to solve Quiz.!! I made me challenge all of quiz to correct.
Dear Rebecca,
One comment: Weren’t you supposed to put a question mark at the end of the sentences “weren’t you supposed to, and weren’t you going to” ?
Yours sincerely.
good lesson very helpful
Hi Rebecca,
First of all thanks for the lesson
Thank u so much
But there is one doubt…..
I need to know about more
I supposed to that,you supposed to do that,
I suppose to be there
Will you clarify these by example?
My email:naseermavilery@gmail.com
Hello, Rebecca! It was really interesting video, but one question kept uncovered for us. Could you please explain difference of meaning between these two examples: 1) I’m supposed to be studying for an exam (but I’m not.) 2) I wasn’t supposed to go by myself. Why did we use different verb forms there? Thank you!
Really helpful, Thank you Teacher!
Thank you for the lesson!
I got 9 to 10 :)
Hello you are such a great teacher. I really love the way you teaching us. your explanation is so clear and helpful. godbless!
it’s was a good lesson , Teacher Rebecca!
Thank Rebecca! Useful lesson.
I got 70 , thanks
I got 7, thanks
Dear Teacher,
This is helping a lot.
i got 9 out of 10
thanks. I got 10 out of 10. great. hugs.
thanks.
Thanks, Rebbeca!! I got 100!!!
Thanks I got 9 out of 10
Could you help me ? In what situation “get going” is used.
To get going means to get started or to hurry up, so it could be used at work or anywhere else. All the best to you.
Diggle and Felicity from the TV Show “Arrow”? ehehe
thank you very much! Rebecca
I am happy I got 100%
I got 10/10. Thanks Rebecca^^
Thanks teacher. You are special!
Thanks a lot, Rebecca!
thank you rebecca i got 8 out of 10 ????
ty Rebecca for this video.
Thank you Rebecca…very helpful lesson.
I was supposed to get that nice lesson before intended my exam , I was really busy
Everytime that i see your lesson i feel blessed… i can’t find out words to explain it… Thanks again to shared this amazing lesson with us. I got 10 out of 10 and this is possible for your help my dear professor. By the way about questions for a moment i thought structure could be: ” wasn’t or weren’t supposed to or going to” plus
subject plus the rest of statement, instead to : “subject plus wasn’t or weren’t supposed to or going to” plus the rest of statement.”
Regards.
Thank you very much for your kind comments, JGeorge. It means a lot, especially from a fellow teacher. By the way, the key to making a breakthrough in your writing is to have someone check and analyse it, so you can identify your mistakes and work on overcoming them. I wish you all the best in reaching your goals in the year ahead, especially since you took the time to write on January 1st! My best wishes to you.
Thank you so much Rebecca
Great 100% Thank you so much Rebecca for your lesson. All is clear
Hi! This was my first lesson here! I love it! Thanks!
Welcome to engvid, Pedro! I wish you all the best.
Thank you kindly for this excellent lesson.
Your lessons are always helpful ?Thank you
Thank you Rebecca. I have 10 ;))
Hi Rebecca,Thank you very much for this lesson .
it was realy helpful as always.
You´re a great teacher!…thank you so much Rebecca :D
Honestly, I have to say that I’m falling in love with your lessons. I keep wondering how you make it as simple as possible. That’s unbelieveable. Regards from Indonesia.
Hi Rebecca. I like your classes , I have improved day by day my confidence levels. thank you
So useful lesson, thanks a lot.
thank you Rebecca
Thank you very much, Rebecca)) 10\10
Helpful lesson. Thank you.
Great explanation,Rachel, as usual. Thanks.
thank you your explanation was very clear!
I was going to study last night,but I got home late.
I was supposed to check my mail box today,but I changed my mind to check tomorrow. Thank you for your great lesson, Rebecca.
Thank you Miss.Rebecca your explanation has been very clear
Thanks Ms Rebecca for this lesson.
your explanation was very clear
Thank you Rebecca.
I was supposed to correct 10 out of 10 but I didn’t realize that the fourth question.
I got 10.☺ Excellent lesson Rebecca!
very nice subject again …
Thanks Rebecca
I got 9 out of 10
Thanks Rebecca
Thanks Ms Rebecca
Thanks, Rebecca. Your lesson was very helpful. I got 100.
hello teacher. I am a new student. may I ask you:what’s the different between”was,were supposed to and was,were going to”.
thanks for your help.
I got 1oo, well by me
Thank you for the explanation
Thank you teacher!
Thank you teacher!i got 100.
hi. these videos in your site dont have any download link?
thank you Rebecca I JUST GOT 10 OUT OF 10
Hi, Rebecca I was supposed to do understand the difference between “Supposed to or going to” but now it’s clear Thank you!!!
Thanks Rebecca it was a good lesson and I got 90 marks yeah.
wow..I got all correct..thank you
Wow! I got 100/100.
Thank you very Rebecca you teach well.
i got 10/10 perfect was quiz
You got 10 correct out of 10.
thank you…
Thanks Rebecca.
Thanks very much
Rebecca
Thank you rebecca for the real important teaching
Thanks Rebecca. It helps alot!
Hi kabayan! Are you a Filipino too?
Thank you! Nice lesson
Great lesson
thank you
Thank you, Rebecca. It gives clarity on using ‘but’ with ‘supposed to’
I got 10 out of 10 for this quiz, and continuously I clearly understood about this lesson. Thank you, Rebecca. I’m forwarding your next coming lessons ever.
Thank you very much!
There is a big improvement in my English because of Engvid. English is our second language, and I was supposed to be fluent, but I was not interested until I planned to study in Canada.
Thank you very much, I got 10 out of 10, I Like my teacher!
I was supposed to watch at least one video from engvid.com every day, but it’s realized that I’m too lazy for it.
Hi Rebecca, I am a new student. I like the way you explain the English grammar rules. When I am writing I make lots of mistakes, because I don’t know how to use correct grammar. One day I am able to write correct with your help. Thank you very much,!
Your lesson is very useful. Thank you Rebecca???
Thank you so much Rebecca
Actually i was supposed to finish my English study last year but unfortunately i didn’t have enough time because i was so busy so well, I’m supposed to learn English with Rebecca and i hope you teach us as well as usual .
Thanks Rebecca again
That lesson was bitchin and amazing. I learned so much it was clear and understandable I understood everything you said
thank you so much. keep it up best teacher
Yahoo 100. Thanks Maam Rebecca for your wonderful lesson. I really enjoy learning from you. ❤???
Congratulations, Rebbeca! Very nice, your classes.
But, I always continue with a doubt, when I use the “supposed to”. I must to study very hard.
Hi, Rebbeca! I really appreciate your classes. You are a amazing Professor! I have been seeing classes on Engvid.com to improve my English and it have been very helpful to me. I am grateful for the classes the Professors (you, Ronnie, Emma, etc) take here. Thanks a million!
I would like learn more about the words “other, another and others”. Could you make a video about that, please?
I wish the best to you and to all Engvid Professors!
Thanx for all
I got 10 .Thanks a ton.
I watched this video twice on July 21, 2021, and took the quiz after watching it once. I got ten out of 10.
got it perfect
Thank you
10/10
Thanks a lot Rebecca,hugs. (Kazakhstan, 08Sept2021);
I started following your teaching for a month.
I really can’t thank you enough ???
I have written my views in the upper of this sheet,hope Dear Rebecca to see it!
I think I am going to rite way.
What an incredible lesson. As far as I’m concerned, you’re such a brilliant English teacher. Thank you for the variety of lessons that you’ve done in Engvid. I really appreciate it. Good work! Please keep it up!
BTW, 10/10 was my outcome and my example for the lesson will be: I was supposed to drive my daughter to school, but I finished my work late so I couldn’t do that.
thank you so much Miss Rebecca, for sharing your information and knowledge about that. I am suppose to use it in communicate with others. I really appreciate it.