"was not to" vs "was never to"

Question

"was not to" vs "was never to"

Both "was never to" and "was not to" are correct constructions, but they are used in different contexts. "Was never to" is used to emphasize that something did not happen at any point in the past, while "was not to" is used to indicate that something was not supposed to happen according to a plan or expectation.

Last Updated: March 31, 2024

This phrase is used to express that an action or event was not intended or allowed to happen according to a specific plan or instruction.

Examples:

He was not to be disturbed during his meeting.
The document was not to be shared with anyone outside the team.
The information was not to be disclosed to the public.

Alternatives:

was not supposed to
was not meant to
was not intended to
was not expected to
was not going to

This phrase is used to emphasize that a particular event or action did not occur under any circumstances in the past.

Examples:

He was never to return to that place again.
The secret was never to be revealed.
She was never to know the truth.

Alternatives:

was never meant to
was never supposed to
was never intended to
was never expected to
was never going to

Answer 1

was not to

This phrase is correct and commonly used in English to indicate that something was not supposed to happen according to a plan or expectation.

Answer 2

was never to

This phrase is correct and commonly used in English to emphasize that something did not happen at any point in the past.

"was not to" vs "was never to"

was not to

was never to

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