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Difference between 'was to . . ' and 'was to have+p.p

 
 
Reply Mon 30 May, 2016 12:19 pm
What is the difference in the meaning between following sentences:

> 1. John was to have picked strawberries yesterday but the downpour made the field too muddy.

> 2. John was to pick strawberries yesterday but the downpour made the field too muddy.

(Source: modified example from BBC )

http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/learningenglish/grammar/learnit/learnitv103.shtml)

I've read in Learn English BBC that the form "was to" and "was to have" is used for past plan which wasn't fullfiled.
But What I haven't understood is that these form look similar to me. I'm in a dillema which one (was to, or was to have) is used for past plan and which one is for unfullfilled past plan.

So, what is the differences between the construction *was/were to ...* and *was/were to have + past participle*?

I would appreciate for your helpfull answer
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Tes yeux noirs
 
  1  
Reply Mon 30 May, 2016 01:18 pm
Is/was to: an event is or was predicted or expected to happen.
John is to pick strawberries: he is expected to pick strawberries.
John was to pick strawberries: he was expected to pick strawberries (and may or may not have done so; we don't know).

Was to have: an event was expected to happen, but it is known that it did not.
John was to have picked strawberries (we know he did not pick them).


Tes yeux noirs
 
  1  
Reply Mon 30 May, 2016 02:34 pm
@Tes yeux noirs,
Also was to have can be used for a previously expected event that will not now take place:

Are you going to London next week?
No. I was to have spoken at a meeting but it has been cancelled.
Yubraj sharma
 
  1  
Reply Mon 30 May, 2016 06:57 pm
@Tes yeux noirs,
Do you mean 'was to +infinitive' construction is used for fixed past plan which either did happen or didn't happen .so, further justification is need to clarify it.

On the other hand, was to have+p.p is itsef explains that the planed action didn't happen,
am i correct ?
Could you explain it a bit with examples to make it clear to me?
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