Be due to: How and When to Use in English
Quick and simple lesson to help you understand grammar better.
Test your English and learn even more with Gymglish.
TEST YOUR ENGLISH
Free trial and no commitment to buy
4,7 on App Store, Play Store and Trustpilot
More than 8 million learners worldwide
Be due to
Be due to expresses a future action which is expected or scheduled to happen:
The train is due to arrive at 10:54 PM. The train is expected to arrive at 10.54 PM.
Be due to is similar to [be + infinitive plus to]:
Mick Jagger is to perform at Madison Square Garden tonight. Mick Jagger will perform at Madison Square Garden tonight.
or Mick Jagger is due to perform at Madison Square Garden tonight.
or Mick Jagger is due to perform at Madison Square Garden tonight.
Exercise 1
Even though my plane is to arrive at 8 PM, it could be delayed until 10 PM.
Even though my plane is due to arrive at 8 PM, it could be delayed until 10 PM.
due: If a plane is 'due to arrive at 8' it is supposed to, or expected to arrive at 8. This sentence indicates 'at what time' the plane 'is supposed' to arrive.
be due: 'Be due' is incorrect here because 'is' already precedes 'due' in the sentence. 'Is be due' is grammatically incorrect.
dues: The word 'due' is needed here to follow the verb 'is'. 'Dues' is a word with an entirely different meaning, and is inappropriate in this sentence.
Exercise 2
The train is at noon.
The train is due to arrive at noon.
due to arrive: '(The train is) due to arrive (at noon)' expresses at what time the train is supposed or expected to arrive. This is the best choice here.
arrives: 'Is arrives' is grammatically incorrect. 'Arrives' is incorrect because the verb 'is' already precedes it.
waited: 'Waited' does not fit here. A train can be 'expected', but we wait for a train.
Exercise 3
last week, we have had only 15 hits on our website. I think this problem our poor marketing campaign.
Since 1 last week, we have had only 15 hits on our website. I think this problem is due to 2 our poor marketing campaign.
1 Since: 'Since last week' tells us when the hits on the website (or the internet traffic) began.
1 For: 'For' is usually used to express the duration of an action. In this case, it does not fit the construction.
2 is due to: 'Is due' expresses the reason for the poor success of the website. The 'be due to' construction either expresses cause or reason (as it does here) or indicates the time at which an action is supposed to occur (My plane is due to arrive at 3:00).
2 since: Although 'since' can be used to express reason (like 'because'), it does not fit this sentence's construction. We could say 'since our marketing campaign was so poor, the website was unsuccessful'.
Exercise 4
Choose the appropriate meaning for each phrase. Be careful! Each answer is used only once:
"The broken elevator is due to be repaired soon." → The broken elevator be repaired soon.
"The broken elevator is bound to be repaired soon." → The broken elevator be repaired soon.
"The broken elevator is likely to be repaired soon." → The broken elevator be repaired soon.
"The broken elevator is due to be repaired soon." → The broken elevator be repaired soon.
"The broken elevator is bound to be repaired soon." → The broken elevator be repaired soon.
"The broken elevator is likely to be repaired soon." → The broken elevator be repaired soon.
Choose the appropriate meaning for each phrase. Be careful! Each answer is used only once:
"The broken elevator is due to be repaired soon." → The broken elevator is expected to 1 be repaired soon.
"The broken elevator is bound to be repaired soon." → The broken elevator will almost certainly 2 be repaired soon.
"The broken elevator is likely to be repaired soon." → The broken elevator will probably 3 be repaired soon.
"The broken elevator is due to be repaired soon." → The broken elevator is expected to 1 be repaired soon.
"The broken elevator is bound to be repaired soon." → The broken elevator will almost certainly 2 be repaired soon.
"The broken elevator is likely to be repaired soon." → The broken elevator will probably 3 be repaired soon.
1 is expected to: If something is "due to happen" then it is expected, or scheduled, to happen. In this context, we can assume that an agreement has already been made for someone to repair the elevator. Another example: "When are your in-laws due to arrive?".
1 will almost certainly: The phrase "is due to be repaired" does not express very high probability, but rather, conveys expectation or an existing agreement.
1 will probably: The phrase "is due to be repaired" does not express high probability, but rather, conveys expectation or an existing agreement.
2 will almost certainly: If something is "bound to happen" then it is inevitable, or it will almost certainly happen. For example: "Someone is bound to buy a birthday cake for Kevin. I won't bother buying one".
2 will probably: The phrase "to be bound to" expresses near-certainty or inevitability. It conveys more than just "good" probability.
2 is expected to: Although the phrase "to be bound to" can convey the speaker's expectation, this is not the best choice here. The meanings of "to be expected" and "to be due to" are more similar.
3 will probably: If something is "likely to happen", then the chance (or probability) of it happening is good, certainly higher than 50%. Another example: "Bruno is likely to agree to your request for a pay rise".
3 is expected to: Although the phrase "to be likely to" can convey the speaker's expectation, this is not the best choice here. The meanings of "to be expected" and "to be due to" are more similar.
3 will almost certainly: The phrase "will almost certainly" expresses more surety, or a higher probability, than the phrase "is likely to".
Exercise 5
Replace the words in bold with an equivalent phrase without changing the meaning of each sentence.
Bruno said that we are to stay in the office until we receive more information. → Bruno said that we stay in the office until we receive more information.
Luna is to meet the first interviewee at 10am in the lobby. → Luna meet the first interviewee at 10am in the lobby.
How is this mistake to be explained to our shareholders without negative consequences? → How this mistake be explained to our shareholders without negative consequences?
Bruno said that we are to stay in the office until we receive more information. → Bruno said that we stay in the office until we receive more information.
Luna is to meet the first interviewee at 10am in the lobby. → Luna meet the first interviewee at 10am in the lobby.
How is this mistake to be explained to our shareholders without negative consequences? → How this mistake be explained to our shareholders without negative consequences?
Replace the words in bold with an equivalent phrase without changing the meaning of each sentence.
Bruno said that we are to stay in the office until we receive more information. → Bruno said that we must 1 stay in the office until we receive more information.
Luna is to meet the first interviewee at 10am in the lobby. → Luna is due to 2 meet the first interviewee at 10am in the lobby.
How is this mistake to be explained to our shareholders without negative consequences? → How can 3 this mistake be explained to our shareholders without negative consequences?
Bruno said that we are to stay in the office until we receive more information. → Bruno said that we must 1 stay in the office until we receive more information.
Luna is to meet the first interviewee at 10am in the lobby. → Luna is due to 2 meet the first interviewee at 10am in the lobby.
How is this mistake to be explained to our shareholders without negative consequences? → How can 3 this mistake be explained to our shareholders without negative consequences?
1 must: In this context, "we are to" expresses an instruction. Bruno has instructed "us" to stay in the office: in other words, we must stay in the office. Another example: "Now, members of the jury, you are to retire and discuss your verdict".
1 can: "Are to" (in the active voice) cannot express "can", or the ability to do something. However, it can express "can" in the passive voice. For example: "How is Philip to arrive on time if there are no trains running?" (How can Philip arrive on time if there are no trains running?).
1 will: This is not the intended meaning of "are to" in this context. The speaker is not talking about an action which is scheduled, but rather one that is imposed or compulsory. In another context, "are to" could have a similar meaning to "will", for example: "Our clients are to arrive at 3pm".
2 is due to: In this sentence, which focuses on a particular time, "is to" expresses an action which is scheduled and expected. Therefore, it has a similar meaning to "is due to". Another example: "Trading is (due) to close at 9pm today".
2 is likely to: It is not just likely that Luna will meet the interviewee at 10am in the lobby. The use of the phrase "is to meet" tells us that this action is expected to happen. If something is likely, then there is a relatively high probability of it happening, but it is not certain to happen.
2 is sure to: The speaker is not talking about probability in this sentence. If we say that something is "sure to" happen, then we are certain (or almost certain) that it will happen. For example: "The meeting is sure to finish before 4pm".
3 can: The past participle "explained" indicates that this sentence is in the passive voice. When "is to" is used in the passive voice (especially in a question), it refers to how something can (or could) be done. Another example: "How are we to know if Horatio is busy or not without knocking on his door?".
3 does: Using "does" here is grammatically incorrect. We cannot use the auxiliary verb "do" with the main verb "be". We could say: "How is this mistake explained (normally)?" or "How will this mistake be explained?".
3 has: Using "has" here is grammatically incorrect. "Has" is used with the past participle of the verb to form the present perfect tense. We could say: "How has this kind of mistake been explained in the past?", but note that this would be a question about the past, not the future.
Still facing difficulties with 'Be due to'? Improve your English with Gymglish's English lessons - try our online English course for free now and receive a free level assessment!
What our users say:
Find out about other grammar rules. Improve your English further and test Gymglish, online English lessons.
Tips for learning 'Be due to'? Share them with us!
