General English Level 4 V 3
UNIT 03 Dreams and plans TOPIC 04 I was going to
LANGUAGE FOCUS 02 Describing changed plans
In this activity you will learn how to describe changed plans.
Claudia writes:
I meant to phone you earlier but it slipped my mind.
I was going to come up but, unfortunately, I won't be able to make it.

We use meant to + verb and was going to + verb to talk about changes in our plans.

Example

I meant to phone you earlier but it slipped my mind.

Claudia means: I planned to phone you but I forgot.

I was going to come up but , unfortunately, I won't be able to make it.

Claudia means: I planned to come up but I can't keep the appointment.

When we have changed a plan we often explain why.
We usually introduce the reason with but .

Here are some other expressions we use to describe changed plans.

I
He
She 		was going
meaning
intending
planning
to
phone you
but.....
We
You
They 		were
I
You
He
She
We
They 		meant
intended
planned

We can also say:

I had every intention of phoning you but... .

Examples

1 Read the examples.
2 Listen to the examples.
3 Practise saying each example. Use the Pause button.
I was meaning to arrive on Saturday but I missed my train.
They were intending to get married but they couldn't afford it.
He was going to call you but he was busy.
We meant to t ell you but we didn't know what you would say.
She intended to go to Europe but she thought it was too expensive.
I had every intention of phoning you but I was in a meeting.

Now go to 03 WRITING Describing changing plans.