[Grammar] Reduction or omission of GOING TO and some grammar element in a sentence.

[The apprentice]

Dear teachers and members:


As stated in my title, I find that the auxiliary GOING TO is reduced or omitted in some sentences. I know about Reduced Adverb Clause, Incomplete Adverb and Noun Clause and so on, which are grammatically correct. I would like to know if in these two sentences the same gramatical phenomenon happens.

1°) This was the first of many mistakes Kuklinski was to commit.

2°) At the time they arrived, the young woman had died; the gunshot wound was to blame.


OBSERVATION:

a) As to my knowledge, the first sentence can also be as follows:

This was the first of many mistakes Kuklinski was going to commit.

b) I think that in the second sentence some grammar element is missing, but I am not quite sure which one it is.

At the time they arrived, the young woman had died; the gunshot wound was to blame.


I beg for your help in this grammar confusion.

 

[bhaisahab]

1°) This was the first of many mistakes Kuklinski was to commit.

2°) At the time they arrived, the young woman had died; the gunshot wound was to blame.

The second sentence is not correct, it should start with "By the time".

 

[5jj]

There is no 'reduction of BE going to in your sentences. The verb am/is/are/was/were to (there is no infinitive form) has been used. In #1, both BE going to and would would convey similar meanings, but neither works in #2, which is not the same construction.

 

[The apprentice]

Thank you for the observation Bhaisahab:

Is there a grammatical name for the thing I referred to in the above two sentences?

 

[The apprentice]

Thanks 5jj:

I would like to know if is there a grammatical name for the thing I am referring in the above two sentences?

 

[5jj]

The thing you are referring to in your first sentence appears to be simply the verb am/is/are/was/were to, sometimes referred to as BE to.

In your second sentence 'to blame' has the meaning of responsible/the cause.

 

[The apprentice]

Okay 5jj:


Now I know what you are referring to. This is called BE + INFINITIVE or BE PLUS INFINITIVE.


My best regards.