was going to do

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "was going to do" is correct and usable in written English.
It is typically used to indicate an intention or plan that was made in the past but may not have been carried out. Example: "I was going to do my homework last night, but I fell asleep instead."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

I was going to do this!'".

Independent

If I was going to do it, I was going to do it.

The New Yorker

Who was going to do that?

The Guardian - TV & Radio

Homburger was going to do it.

The Guardian - Sport

I was going to do the same".

The New York Times - Sports

She was going to do that.

The New York Times - Style

"If I was going to do it, I was going to do it here.

The New York Times - Sports

"She was going to do anything any guy was going to do.

The New York Times

I was going to do what I was going to do anyway.

The New York Times - Arts

If no one was going to do it, then I was going to do it".

The New York Times - Arts

He didn't tell me he was going to do this.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

In creative writing, this phrase is excellent for internal monologues or character reflections regarding missed opportunities.

Common error

Avoid shifting into the present tense later in the same sentence if the action remains in the past. For example, instead of saying 'I was going to do it and then I realize', use 'I was going to do it and then I realized'.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "was going to do" serves as a future-in-the-past construction. It functions as a periphrastic verb phrase that signals an intention or a planned action from a past perspective. According to Ludwig AI, it is frequently used to set the stage for a narrative shift or an interruption of plans.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

65%

Literature & Fiction

15%

Science & Academic

10%

Less common in

Legal Documents

5%

Technical Manuals

3%

Social Media

2%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "was going to do" is a versatile and essential component of the English language. Ludwig analysis shows that it is one of the most reliable ways to convey a future-in-the-past perspective. Whether used in a personal memoir in The New Yorker or to describe experimental hypotheses in Science Magazine, it effectively communicates the gap between expectation and reality. While perfectly correct in all standard registers, writers should consider synonyms like "intended to" for highly formal academic contexts. Overall, it remains a robust, high-frequency choice for explaining past motives and narrative developments.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

intended to do

Sounds more formal and emphasizes the mental decision behind the action.

planned to do

Suggests a higher level of organization or a structured sequence of events.

had planned to do

Uses the past perfect to further distance the intention from the present results.

aimed to do

Highlights the goal-oriented nature of the past intention.

meant to do

Often used when the intended action failed to happen or resulted in a mistake.

was about to do

Increases the sense of immediacy, suggesting the action was just moments away.

was set to do

Implies that preparations were complete and the action was expected by others.

was to do

A more literary or formal way to describe a planned event or a sense of destiny.

proposed to do

Used in professional or academic settings to describe a suggested course of action.

sought to do

Common in academic and formal writing to describe an attempt or effort.

FAQs

How do I use "was going to do" in a sentence?

The phrase is used to describe a plan or intention that existed in the past. For example, 'I was going to do the laundry, but the machine broke.' It is a standard way to express the "future in the past".

What is a more formal way to say "was going to do"?

In professional writing, you can use more precise alternatives like "intended to do", "planned to execute" or "proposed to" depending on the specific goal.

Is "was going to do" grammatically correct?

Yes, it is perfectly correct. It uses the past continuous form of 'to be' followed by 'going to' and the base verb 'do'. Ludwig confirms its widespread use in high-quality publications.

What is the difference between "was going to do" and "did"?

"did" indicates a completed action, while "was going to do" only indicates the intention to act, which may or may not have been fulfilled.