Sometimes life gets in the way of our best-laid plans. A passport expires the day before an international trip, a promotion gets frozen, or rain cancels an outdoor meeting. In English, there is a specific structure to talk about plans, intentions, and predictions that didn't materialize in the past: was going to and were going to. Understanding this grammar point is essential for telling stories, explaining missed opportunities, and communicating naturally in professional and everyday contexts.
How do you use was going to and were going to to talk about unfulfilled plans?
The structure follows a simple pattern: subject + was/were going to + verb in base form [0:41]. You choose was for singular subjects (I, he, she, it) and were for plural subjects or "you."
Look at this example shared in the lesson [0:27]:
- "She was going to apply for that job, but she changed her mind at the last minute."
The plan existed, but something prevented it from happening. Here are more examples:
- "Keith and I were going to get promoted, but the company restructured and froze all their promotions." [0:50]
- "Paula was going to learn French, but she got busy with other things." [1:02]
Notice how each sentence includes a reason or explanation for why the plan failed. This is a very common conversational pattern: state the original plan, then explain what went wrong.
What are the three main uses of was/were going to?
Talking about plans that didn't happen
This is the most frequent use. You had a concrete plan, but circumstances changed [1:12].
- "I was going to go on vacation, but something came up at work, so I couldn't go."
- "We were going to commute to work by car, but since there was a lot of traffic, we took the metro." [1:30]
Expressing intentions that never materialized
Sometimes there isn't a dramatic reason — life simply gets in the way [1:43].
- "Ryan was going to start Excel classes, but he never got around to it." [1:49]
- "Jane was going to organize the files, but she totally forgot about them." [1:55]
The phrase "never got around to it" is particularly useful. It means someone intended to do something but kept postponing it until it simply didn't happen.
Describing predictions or expectations that didn't come true
You can also use this structure when something seemed likely but turned out differently [2:06].
- "The company was going to launch a new product, but they faced production delays." [2:12]
- "It looked like it was going to rain, but it didn't." [2:20]
Why is this structure important for professional English?
In job interviews, business updates, and workplace conversations, you constantly need to explain what was expected versus what actually occurred. Mastering was/were going to lets you narrate changes in plans clearly and professionally. Whether you are explaining why a project shifted direction or sharing a personal anecdote about a missed opportunity — like a trip canceled because of an expired passport [0:04] — this structure keeps your storytelling precise.
Practice by sharing your own experience: think of something you were going to do but didn't. What stopped you? Writing it out reinforces the pattern and builds confidence for real conversations.
