How to Use “Was To” in English

In English grammar, the phrase “was to” is used to indicate an event or action that was supposed to happen in the past but may or may not have actually occurred. It is often used in formal English and in situations where plans, arrangements, or expectations were made, but they may or may not have been fulfilled.

Hindi Meaning of “Was To”

“Was to” का हिंदी में मतलब होता है कि कुछ करने की योजना बनाई गई थी या कोई घटना होनी थी, लेकिन यह जरूरी नहीं कि वह घटित हुई हो। यह किसी घटना या कार्य के प्रस्तावित होने को दर्शाता है, जो अतीत में निर्धारित किया गया था।

Was To = वाला था

Structure:

Subject + was to + base verb (for singular subjects: He, She, It)
Subject + were to + base verb (for plural subjects: They, We)

Examples and Explanation

He was to leave for Delhi, but he stayed back.
(उसे दिल्ली के लिए निकलना था, लेकिन वह रुक गया।)
– Here, “was to leave” indicates that the person was expected to leave, but he didn’t.
The meeting was to begin at 10 AM.
(बैठक 10 बजे शुरू होनी थी।)
– In this case, the “was to begin” shows the planned time for the meeting.

20 Sentences Using “Was To” (with Hindi Translation)

She was to meet him at the station.
(उसे स्टेशन पर उससे मिलना था।)
The train was to arrive at 7 PM.
(ट्रेन को शाम 7 बजे आना था।)
They were to submit the report yesterday.
(उन्हें कल रिपोर्ट जमा करनी थी।)
I was to call my friend, but I forgot.
(मुझे अपने दोस्त को कॉल करना था, लेकिन मैं भूल गया।)
He was to give a speech at the event.
(उसे कार्यक्रम में भाषण देना था।)
We were to complete the project by Friday.
(हमें शुक्रवार तक प्रोजेक्ट पूरा करना था।)
The school was to reopen after the holidays.
(छुट्टियों के बाद स्कूल फिर से खुलना था।)
She was to receive an award for her performance.
(उसे अपने प्रदर्शन के लिए पुरस्कार मिलना था।)
The movie was to start at 8 PM.
(फिल्म को रात 8 बजे शुरू होना था।)
He was to travel to London next week.
(उसे अगले हफ्ते लंदन जाना था।)
The team was to practice for the final match.
(टीम को फाइनल मैच के लिए अभ्यास करना था।)
I was to help her with her homework.
(मुझे उसका गृहकार्य करने में मदद करनी थी।)
The concert was to be held in the park.
(संगीत कार्यक्रम पार्क में होना था।)
We were to discuss the new project today.
(हमें आज नए प्रोजेक्ट पर चर्चा करनी थी।)
The car was to be repaired by the mechanic.
(कार की मरम्मत मैकेनिक द्वारा की जानी थी।)
She was to attend the wedding, but she couldn’t make it.
(उसे शादी में शामिल होना था, लेकिन वह नहीं आ सकी।)
The exam was to be held on Monday.
(परीक्षा सोमवार को होनी थी।)
They were to finish their work by evening.
(उन्हें शाम तक अपना काम खत्म करना था।)
The project was to start last month.
(प्रोजेक्ट पिछले महीने शुरू होना था।)
He was to meet the CEO for an interview.
(उसे इंटरव्यू के लिए सीईओ से मिलना था।)

Practice Questions

1. Fill in the Blanks:

She ___ (was to/were to) leave the office early yesterday, but she stayed late.
- (Answer: was to)
They ___ (was to/were to) submit the application by 5 PM.
- (Answer: were to)
The train ___ (was to/were to) arrive at 8 AM, but it was delayed.
- (Answer: was to)
He ___ (was to/were to) help me with my project.
- (Answer: was to)
We ___ (was to/were to) attend the seminar, but we missed it.
- (Answer: were to)

2. True or False:

“Was to” is used to talk about something planned for the future.
- False (It’s for the past.)
“Was to” can only be used when the event happened as planned.
- False (It may or may not have happened.)
“He was to call me” means he called me.
- False (It means he was supposed to call, not necessarily that he did.)

3. Rewrite the Sentence:

I had planned to go to the gym, but I didn’t go.
(Answer: I was to go to the gym, but I didn’t.)
She was supposed to submit the report on time.
(Answer: She was to submit the report on time.)
The lecture was expected to start at 9 AM.
(Answer: The lecture was to start at 9 AM.)

Conclusion

The use of “was to” in English is very effective in describing past intentions or plans that may or may not have been fulfilled. It’s a handy structure to master for more fluent and formal English conversations. Keep practicing with the sentences and exercises above to improve your understanding!