Grammar. Passive structures for plans and predictions

9. Work in pairs. Look at the examples in the Grammar box. Answer the questions.

1 How do you show a plan / prediction has changed?
2 How do you emphasize the plan / prediction is achieved before a certain time?
3 Which verb describing the plan / prediction is in the passive?

10. Work in pairs. Think about a city or town you know. Write at least six sentences using the patterns in the Grammar box. Think about things like:

We can use some verb phrases in the passive to talk about plans and predictions. This is more common in more formal communication, such as reports and news media.
The new rail link is projected to be completed by 2035.
It is intended to reduce travel time to and from the airport by 20 minutes.
The cost is expected to increase significantly.
Rental prices are forecast to rise next year.
Visitor numbers are predicted to drop significantly.

We can use be supposed to in more informal contexts.
The renovation is supposed to be completed by the end of the year.

Note: that we use the perfect infinitive (have + past participle) to emphasize that something is completed by a certain point in the future.
The population is expected to have reached three million by 2040.

We can use the past tense of be to show that something didn’t, or might not, happen as planned.
The scheme was expected to create thousands of jobs, but it was unsuccessful.
The new traffic system was intended to ease congestion in the city centre, but six months later there was very little difference.

Exercise 2. Complete the sentences using the words in brackets.

1 Delays for the next few days. (expect / continue)
2 The population considerably over the next five years. (forecast / increase)
3 The new shopping centre the number of visitors. (expect / boost)
4 The new pedestrian area the shopping experience. (intend / enhance)
5 The plans by now, but they’re not. (expect / finalize)
6 The new traffic system in place by now, but it is nowhere near completion. (supposed / be)

Exercise 3. Read the first sentence in each pair. Complete the second sentence so that it has a similar meaning.

1 It is projected that unemployment will fall over the next two years.
Unemployment ______ .
2 It is intended that the roadworks will continue into next month.
The roadworks _____
3 Everyone expects that the hotel will close next year.
The hotel ______