Exercises · Future from the past

Future from the past quiz

Choose the right tense for each sentence. Every example comes from real meetings, emails, updates and presentations – and each answer explains the rule.

Need a refresher? Review the rules in 5 Future from the past, 2.3 Promises and offers and 2.2 Future plans in our Verb Tenses in Business guide.

Said, says or has said?
Offers, intentions or fixed plans?
Thought, expected, didn’t realise
Is the offer still open?
Mixed review

1. Said, says or has said?

‘Said’ looks forward from the past with ‘would’. ‘Says’ – and ‘has said’, when the offer is still open – take ‘will’.

Rules: 5 Future from the past

1The supplier said that the parts by Friday.

will arrivewould arrive

2The supplier says that the parts by Friday.

will arrivewould arrive

3Our CFO has said that she the budget next week.

would reviewwill review

4I explained to the board that the new system us around ten hours a week.

will savewould savesaves

5Our biggest client always says that they more if we cut our prices.

would orderwill order

2. Offers, intentions or fixed plans?

An offer or promise (would), an intention that didn’t happen (was going to), a fixed arrangement (was meeting) or a timetable (started)?

Rules: 5 Future from the past

1I you earlier, but I got stuck in a meeting.

would callwas going to callcalled

2She left the workshop early because she a client at 4.

would meetwas meetingmet

3We set off at 7 because the conference at 9.

would startstartedwas going to start

4He said that he us with the presentation, so we set up a call.

was helpingwould helphelped

5We the new office in May, but the move has been postponed.

were going to openwould openopened

3. Thought, expected, didn’t realise

Predictions and expectations from the past – compared with what we think now.

Rules: 5 Future from the past

1We thought that the negotiations difficult – and they were.

will bewould be

2We expect that demand down after the summer.

would slowwill slow

3We didn’t realise that the integration so complex.

will bewould beis

4I didn’t know that she at the meeting – it was a nice surprise.

would bewill beis

5Analysts think that interest rates next year.

would fallwill fall

4. Is the offer still open?

‘He said that he would…’ or ‘He has said that he will…’?

Rules: 5 Future from the past

1Anna that she will do it instead, so I’m going to call her tomorrow.

saidhas said

2They said that they us, but we haven’t heard from them yet.

will contactwould contact

3The IT team have said that they the problem by Monday.

would fixwill fix

4Our lawyer said she would check the contract, and her comments very useful.

werehave beenwill be

5I’ve told the client that I them the minutes this afternoon.

would send’ll send

5. Mixed review

All the forms together, in real business conversations.

Rules: 5 Future from the past

1I spoke to the investors yesterday. They said that they back to us by Friday.

will getwould getare getting

2They said they would get back to us, but we from them yet.

didn’t hearhaven’t heardwouldn’t hear

3She said that she a client, so she didn’t attend the board meeting.

would meetwas meetinghas met

4I’ve told her that I her a summary of the decisions we made.

would sendwill sendsent

5We in March, but the regulator delayed the approval process.

would launchwere going to launchlaunched

Check a section to see your score here.

More practice

Next exerciseGap-fillType the right form Next exerciseMatch the sentence halvesMatch the beginnings and endings The guideVerb Tenses in BusinessDiagrams and explanations

Correct on paper is not the same as natural in the boardroom

One-to-one Business English coaching for C1/C2 executives and founders.

See the CEO Package

Advanced Premium Course

The Fluency Space CEO Package

Enjoyed this lesson? Take your business English further with a structured 3-month programme designed specifically for senior executives.

Full English audit session

Package of 12 private lessons

4 CEO-Specific webinars

AI lesson summaries and tracking

15-min consultation

Learn More

Our Coaches - A Passion For Business and Language

Mike Beattie

Executive Business English and Leadership Communication

10 years' experience

From €40/hour

Over 10 years, I have helped professionals across Europe and Asia. Learn more...

Book a Free Consultation

David Cox

Executive Business English and Leadership Communication

14 years' experience

From €50/hour

I have a passion for business and a background in linguistics.. Learn more...

Book a Free Consultation

Nezha Essouaf

Executive Presentation and Entrepreneur English

10 years' experience

From €40/hour

My coaching is designed for ambitious professionals and entrepreneurs. Learn more...

Book a Free Consultation

IN-DEPTH PROPOSAL BUILT WITH CARE

A Course Built around you

After your full English audit, we do a deep dive into your company, your role and your real communication goals - We then build a fully tailored program around them and send a proposal within 3 working days.

See how your programme would be built

Explore

Programs

CEO Package

Pricing

Company

Prague, Czechia

OptimizePress Popup Overlay

OptimizePress Popup Overlay.

the fluency space acadademy

Be one of the first 50 to join and get a huge discount!

Your advanced English training center. Over 600 pages of PDFs. over 250 diagrams and hundreds of exercises. 32 Vocabulary lessons covering the 400 most important phrases for advanced Business, 2x monthly Adapted Business English texts, 2x monthly YouTube listening lessons, 'How to Use English Verb Tenses in Business' textbook.

All of this and much more for only $5.99 per month. Cancel anytime!

Learn How it Works!

OptimizePress Popup Overlay

OptimizePress Popup Overlay.

OptimizePress Popup Overlay

OptimizePress Popup Overlay.

You will receive 50 pages of free materials

Free PDF Vocabulary Module with exercises and answers (9 Pages)

Free Listening Exercise with Mini-Transcript and Accent Guide (3 Pages)

Free Business Article With Advanced Vocabulary + Exercises (11 Pages)

Free Grammar Exercise (2 Pages)

Fun Idioms Exercise (3 Pages)

'How to Use English Verb Tenses in Business Chapter 1 (30 Pages)

OptimizePress Popup Overlay

OptimizePress Popup Overlay.

Materials Samples and Weekly Article based on Bestselling Business Writers

350 pages of materials to test your English.

Adapted articles with vocabulary specifically for you as a business leader approaching an advanced level in Business English.

Based on best-selling business writers including Simon Sinek, Cal Newport and James Clear.

Exercises and comprehension included.

Articles in a stunning presentation format.

Authentic advanced listening lessons.

Full textbook with 250 diagrams targeting grammar mistakes that leaders make in advanced English.

Name *

Email *

OptimizePress Popup Overlay

OptimizePress Popup Overlay.

32 Advanced Vocabulary Topics for Entrepreneurs

Sophisticated phrasal verbs, idioms and professional vocabulary based on 14 years of data.

Guide To Business Small-Talk

Sound Professional when Participating in Meetings

Sound Professional when Running Meetings

Sound Professional in Presentations

Sound Professional in Emails

Sound Professional When Discussing Research And Making Decisions

Sound Professional When Talking About Budgets and Spending

Sound Professional When Making Arrangements and Discussing Timings

Sound Dynamic When Talking About Progress and Improvement

Slowing Down and Stopping Progress

Make Yourself Sound Hard-Working and Knowledgeable

Sound Professional When Talking about Causes and Consequences

Sound Creative When Coming Up With New Ideas

Sound Convincing When Talking About Change

Sound Professional When Talking about Being Busy and Prioritizing

Being Seen

Sound Like a Leader

Sound Practical When Talking About Making and Overcoming Mistakes

Sound Dynamic When Talking About Preparation and Getting Started

Sound Professional When Attracting Customers

Making Your Company, Products and Services Sound Innovative

Sound Professional When Talking About Rules and Regulations

Sound Professional When Discussing Risk

Sound Professional When Talking About Values

Sound Professional When Talking About Image

Sound Professional When Talking About Positive Times

Sound Practical When Talking About Difficult Times

Sound Professional When Talking About Uncertain Times

Sound Intelligent When Talking About Facts, Stats, Evidence and Data

Sound Professional When Talking About Increases and Decreases

Sound Professional When Participating in a Negotiation

Sound Like a Great Negotiator

Key Adverbs, Conjunctions and mini Expressions for Your Professional English

OptimizePress Popup Overlay

OptimizePress Popup Overlay.

Get Inspired through our discussion lessons

Discussion topics based on best-selling business writers. Complete with articles and optional homework.

The Joys of Being an Absolute Beginner – Cultivating the Beginner’s Mindset as an Adult

The Mindset that Brings Unlimited Willpower – Unlock the key to boost your willpower

The Science of Habit Forming – How to Stick to Your Goals

7 Habits of Highly Effective People – Based on Stephen R. Covey’s bestselling book

Start with "Why" – How Great Leaders Inspire Everyone to Take Action – Based on Simon Sinek’s bestseller

The 80/20 Principle – The secret to achieving more with less

The Status Game by Will Storr – How the human drive for status shapes everything we do

How to Win Friends and Influence People – Classic lessons in persuasion and connection

Exemplary Leadership from a Failed Mission – Lessons in leadership from Ernest Shackleton’s Antarctic expedition

No Rules Rules – How Netflix Does Nothing by the Book – How Netflix became a streaming pioneer

The Greatest Product Pitch of All Time? The Reggae Reggae Sauce Story – Turning passion into an empire

Forbes – Top Qualities that Make a Great Leader (Part 1 & 2) – Skills of high-performing leaders

The Secrets of the High-Potential Personality – Traits that define successful individuals

The Sunk Cost Bias and Other Business Traps – When holding on hurts more than letting go

The Culture Map – How to communicate effectively in business across cultures

Making a Killing – The Agent Who Manages Deceased Celebrities – The business of posthumous fame

Fyre Festival – How Not to Organise a Luxury Event – A cautionary tale of hype and failure

The People Walker – Turning a simple idea into a business venture

Tablets and the War for Productivity – Extreme methods to get ahead at work

Personality Testing – Finding the Real You – What tests can (and can’t) reveal

The Dunning–Kruger Effect – How well can you rate your own knowledge?

Imposter Syndrome – How to build confidence and overcome self-doubt

The Rise of the Deinfluencer – Rejecting consumerism in influencer culture

Digital Minimalism – Finding quiet in a noisy world

4 Things People Do Around the World to Slow Down – Global lessons on relaxation

Slash and Burn – High-End Fashion’s Dirty Secret – A look at waste and sustainability in fashion

From Sandy Laptops Comes a Harsh Reality Check – Is the digital nomad dream still alive?

South Korea’s Dwindling Corporate Drinking Culture – Changing workplace traditions

Protecting Local Languages – Welsh vs. Singlish government policies

Why the Canadian Town of Asbestos Wants a New Name – Rebranding an unfortunate identity

Rise of the “Beigefluencers” – The minimalist aesthetic trend

New Zealand Brain Drain – Why Kiwis are moving abroad

The People Walker – Turning a simple idea into a business venture

Selfie Culture – Do selfies enhance or distract from experiences?

Saudi Arabia’s Vision for a 170 km Mega City – Far-fetched dream or future reality?

The Enhanced Olympics – Should performance enhancement be allowed?

The Fastest Growing Sport in the World – A global phenomenon

AI Is Turning into Something Totally New – Adapted from a TED Talk by Mustafa Suleyman (Microsoft AI CEO)

The AI-Driven Race to Speak Whaleish – Cracking the code of animal communication

Theranos – A Silicon Valley Nightmare – When ambition outpaced reality

7 Modern Lessons from the Apollo Moon Landing – What managers can learn from NASA

Vying for Prestige – Oxford and Cambridge Universities – An 800-year rivalry

10 Grand Challenges We Will Face by 2050 – What the future holds for humanity

OptimizePress Popup Overlay

OptimizePress Popup Overlay.

Fluency Space Grammar Curriculum

All topics are based on the most common mistakes made by intermediate to advanced English learners in our 14 years' experience purely with Business English.

Present Simple or Present Continuous Verb Tenses

Present Perfect or Past Simple Verb Tenses

Verb Tenses with 'for', 'since' and 'how long'

Verb Tenses to Talk About Future Events and Plans

Future from the Past and Indirect Speech

Passive Sentences for Official and Company Uses

Conditional Sentences

Key Prepositions and Collocations in Business English

Key Verb Patterns in Business English

Key Uncountable Nouns in Business English

Adjectives with -ing and -ed

Articles with 'a' and 'the'

Used to / be used to / get used to

'If' and 'in case'

OptimizePress Popup Overlay

OptimizePress Popup Overlay.

You're 1 step away from solving your verb tenses problems!

Contact Information

Payment Information

Order Summary

How to Use English Verb Tenses in Business

$8.00

Subtotal

$8.00

Discount

$0.00

Tax 0.00%

$0.00

Total

$8.00

Submit Payment

We process your personal data as stated in our Privacy Policy. You may withdraw your consent at any time by clicking the unsubscribe link at the bottom of any of our emails.