he was to submit

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "he was to submit" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to indicate that someone was expected or required to submit something in the future or as part of an obligation. Example: "In the meeting, it was clear that he was to submit his report by the end of the week."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

4 human-written examples

They accused him of breaking a pledge he made this week to hand over more power to Parliament, reforms he was to submit to Parliament yesterday.

The New York Times

In 2009, he gathered 800 signatures for a public hearing on cracks in buildings, but the day he was to submit the signatures to the City Council, the police called him in for questioning on an unrelated pretext.

The New York Times

On the day he was to submit a package of "radical" economic proposals to President Mikhail S. Gorbachev, the Deputy Prime Minister in charge of the program was still talking today of "drafts" and "possible alternatives," not a clear plan of attack against what he acknowledged is a severe crisis.

The New York Times

According to Roberts, "although he worked to return the country's economic power to private hands, he often seemed as loath to surrender his own dictatorial powers over it as he was to submit to Parliament".

Wikipedia

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

56 human-written examples

Mr. Gulotta, a Republican, could include the savings in informal plans he is to submit Tuesday to Frank G. Zarb, who heads the Nassau Interim Finance Authority, a state panel created in March by Gov. George E. Pataki to oversee the financially troubled county.

The New York Times

The way he worked, he said, was to submit a checklist to a Queens company called All Borough Medical, which transformed it into a narrative.

The New York Times

He said the plan was to submit a list of names for consideration to the Karzai administration within two weeks.

The New York Times

He believed that his options were to submit to the infusions or leave the Oregon Project.

The New York Times - Sports

He was forced to submit to their demands, agreeing to hand over those responsible for Domitian's death and even giving a speech thanking the rebellious Praetorians.

Wikipedia

He at first attempted to avenge the murder of his brother, the 8th earl; but, deserted by his allies, he was obliged to submit to King James II (August 1452).

Encyclopedia Britannica

In July last year, Hobeika said he was ready to submit to the Belgian criminal inquiry into the role of Sharon in the massacre.

The Guardian

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "he was to submit" when you want to express a planned or expected action in the past, particularly when emphasizing obligation or schedule.

Common error

Avoid using "he was to submit" when describing an action that has already been completed. Instead, use "he submitted" or "he had submitted" to reflect the completed action.

Linguistic Context

"He was to submit" functions as an infinitive phrase, expressing a future action viewed from a past perspective. Ludwig AI indicates it's grammatically sound. Examples show it indicating planned or required actions.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

50%

Wiki

25%

Encyclopedias

0%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Science

25%

Academia

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "he was to submit" is a grammatically sound way to express a planned or expected action from a past perspective. Ludwig AI confirms its correct usage. While "he was to submit" is not extremely common, it effectively conveys obligation or schedule. Alternative phrases, such as "he was scheduled to submit" or "he was required to submit", can offer similar meanings with slight variations in emphasis. It's important to note that the tense indicates the submission was outstanding at the time of the statement.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

he was scheduled to submit

Emphasizes a predetermined time for submission.

he was due to submit

Highlights the expectation and deadline for submission.

he was required to submit

Stresses the mandatory nature of the submission.

he was expected to submit

Focuses on the anticipation and expectation of submission.

he had to submit

Indicates a past obligation to submit.

he was obligated to submit

Highlights a formal duty or responsibility.

he was bound to submit

Suggests a commitment or agreement to submit.

it was his duty to submit

Emphasizes the responsibility to perform the submission.

he was under orders to submit

Highlights that the submission was required by a superior.

submitting was required of him

Passive voice emphasizing the necessity of the action.

FAQs

How do I use "he was to submit" in a sentence?

Use "he was to submit" to indicate that someone was expected or required to submit something at a specific time in the past. For example, "He was to submit the report by Friday."

What is the difference between "he was to submit" and "he had to submit"?

"He was to submit" implies a planned or scheduled action, while "he had to submit" /s/he+had+to+submit suggests a requirement or obligation that may not have been planned in advance.

What can I say instead of "he was to submit"?

Alternatives include "he was scheduled to submit" /s/he+was+scheduled+to+submit, "he was due to submit" /s/he+was+due+to+submit, or "he was required to submit" /s/he+was+required+to+submit depending on the specific context.

Is "he was to submit" grammatically correct?

Yes, "he was to submit" is grammatically correct and indicates a planned or expected future action from a past perspective. It's often used to describe obligations or arrangements that were in place at a certain time.