Simple Verb and "is to Verb"
This is my first question and I hope that it is not a duplicated question.
I have just seen a sentence "your arrival is to happen any time before 5 o'clock"
I would like to know what different meaning between the above sentence and the sentence "your arrival happens any time before 5 o'clock"
Thank you
Search from various English teachers...
Answers · 6
2
"Your arrival is to happen any time before 5 o'clock"
This means 'will happen' or 'is scheduled to happen'.
The 'be to' form is an alternative to a future tense, mainly used for describing plans in formal and written contexts.
And don't worry about duplicate questions - we get them all the time, and it doesn't really matter!
2
The construction "am/is/are + infinitive" is used to express an instruction in a firm but polite and formal way.
e.g. "You are to check in at least 45 minutes before take-off".
You could use "must" instead if you wanted to be more direct.
I don't like the sentence you have found! I would never say this. This is because "to happen" is not an active verb and so does not suit this construction. I would change it to:
"You are to arrive by 5 o'clock"
Still haven’t found your answers?
Write down your questions and let the native speakers help you!
Don’t miss out on the opportunity to learn a language from the comfort of your own home. Browse our selection of experienced language tutors and enroll in your first lesson now!
Start Learning Today
