Fill in the blank with the correct option.
I _____ on Thursday. But on Thursday I had a terrible cold, so I decided to wait till Saturday.
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 2
The correct answer is Option (2) → was to have left
The completed sentence is: I was to have left on Thursday. But on Thursday I had a terrible cold, so I decided to wait till Saturday.
This construction, "was/were to have + past participle", is used to express a planned or intended action in the past that did not happen.
-
Intended Action: The plan was for the speaker to leave on Thursday.
-
Preventing Circumstance: The plan was canceled or postponed because the speaker "had a terrible cold."
Why the Other Options Are Incorrect:
-
am to leave (Present Intention): Expresses a current plan for the future (I am to leave tomorrow). It doesn't fit the past context of Thursday.
-
would leave (Simple Conditional/Past Habit): Doesn't express the meaning of a failed past intention. (If I felt better, I would leave.)
-
will be leaving (Future Continuous): Refers to an action ongoing in the future. (I will be leaving on Saturday.) It doesn't relate to the failed past plan on Thursday.