The future seen from the past

You can use the following phrases to talk about an event or action that was expected to happen in the past, but didn't.

                           going to

          was/were + supposed to + verb

                           due to

           on the verge of +ing

We were going to go to the cinema last night, but in the end we couldn't be bothered.

They were supposed to be going away on holiday this week, but James got the flu.

The phrase on the verge of is used to suggest that the action or event was inminent.

They were on the verge of cracking the code, but the other team got there first.

You can used to be to + infinitive to explain that a formal arrangement had been made.

The Prince was to visit the town in mid-May.

You can often use the modal auxiliary verb would to talk about the future in the past, especially in conjunction with phrases such as we had imagined, they had expected, he had thought.

We had expected that they would bring some warm clothes, considering the climate.