would + 原形動詞 ----Be 116過去的未來式

The driver of the red car was just starting the car when a red one came up very quickly.

這種句子我們可以稱之為「過去的未來式」。

1. would + 原形動詞

• Today he called me that he would go abroad to study soon.

• We wanted to know when we would start the opening ceremony. — 這句中 when 所引導的子句是名詞子句而非副詞子句。

• 在以 when, while, before, after, by the time, as soon as, if 和 unless 等開頭的副詞子句或時間子句中，不能使用 would 或 was/were going to，而要用簡單過去式來表示「過去的未來式」，在 I already told Mark that when he would arrive, we would go out for dinner. 這句中，arrive 前的 would 必須拿掉，否則便錯了，因為 when he… 這句是時間副詞子句，不能有 would 或 was/were going to 等字眼。

2. was/were going to + 原形動詞

• She said she was going to see Tom next week. (她說她下週要去看Tom)

3. was/were about to + 原形動詞；was/were on the point of + V-ing (通常不帶時間副詞)

• We were about to get home, when it began to rain cats and dogs. (我們快要/正要到家的時候下起了傾盆大雨) —

• "was/were about to + 原形動詞" 的否定式 "was/were not about to + 原形動詞" 並非「即將不」的意思，而是「很不願意」(be very unwilling to)，如 I was not about to lend you any more money. (我不想再借錢給你了)

• I was on the point of leaving when the phone rang. (我正要離開時，電話鈴響了)

4. was/were to + 原形動詞 (表示過去安排或計劃好的即將發生的動作；可帶時間副詞)

• I told you yesterday that I was to see Mary. — 注意：was/were to 後面若接完成式，那就表示原先計畫好的事情沒有實現，如 They were to have picked strawberries this morning, but the torrential overnight rain made the field too muddy. (他們原本計畫今晨去採草莓，但昨夜的豪大雨使草莓田一片泥濘 — 所以，實際上他們並沒有去採草莓)。

5. arrive, begin, come, end, go, leave, start 等動詞的簡單過去式可表示過去安排或計畫好的未來的動作。

• He said the next new school year began on September 1. (他說下一個新學年九月一日開始)

• She informed me the meeting ended next Saturday. (她通知我會議將在下星期六結束)

6. arrive, begin, come, go, leave, start, drive, fly, stay 等動詞的過去進行式可表示過去即將發生的動作 — 相對於使用現在進行式來表示不久的將來 (in the near future) 要發生的事。

• My aunt called me that she was coming to see me. (我阿姨打電話給我說她要來看我)

• He asked her if they were leaving there. (他問她他們是不是要離開那裡)

根據上述，這位讀者的問題就是第 6 項所述的 arrive, begin, come, go, leave, start, drive, fly, stay 等動詞的過去進行式可表示過去即將發生的動作，因此 was just starting 意為「剛要啟動 (車子)」，而整句的意思是「紅車的司機剛要啟動車子，一輛黑車突然飛速開來」。