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Is the sentence grammatically correct? Could you explain more about it's grammar?

I was to be staying ...

gotube
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saeid
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1 Answers1

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Yes, within the right context.

It describes a situation where you are recalling a past plan. In the past, you were planning to stay on your friend's sofa. When talking about what the plan was you can say "I was to be staying on a friend's sofa". But I would add two caveats:

  • It's an older and/or slightly more formal construction. It's valid, but in modern settings you would more likely construct it as "I was planning to stay on a friend's sofa" or "At the time I planned to stay on a friend's sofa." Omitting the specific verb (planning) and substituting in "to be" isn't really that common these days.

  • Staying may or may not be the correct word. While technically correct it may parse better to english speakers if you were to say sleeping.

mooproxy
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    To add to this good answer: the grammar is that BE to + infinitive expresses an intention or plan, not necessarily the intention of the person who will be doing the action. So I am to go .. usually means that it is not my plan: I may be willing, but somebody else has planned it or told me to go. As mooproxy said, this is a somewhat formal expression. – Colin Fine Dec 14 '22 at 14:09
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    "I was meant to be staying" is a more colloquial way of expressing this. It doesn't indicate who was planning that (your friend might have decided who was sleeping where), in contrast to "I was planning to stay on a friend's sofa", which indicates that you had the intention of sleeping on the sofa. – Stuart F Dec 14 '22 at 14:16