“Be supposed to / about to / likely to”

These phrases share one pattern: be + supposed / about / likely / due / bound + to + base verb. be changes with the subject and tense (am / is / are / was / were); for the negative, put not after be.

💡In fast speech, “supposed to” sounds like /səˈpəʊs tə/ — the d almost disappears, so learners often write “suppose to”. In writing it's always supposed (with -d).

1. Rules and what others expect you to do — often suggesting people don't always do it

• You're supposed to wear a helmet on a motorbike.

• We're not supposed to use our phones in class.

  = not allowed

2. Plans and arrangements — often when things don't go as planned; was / were supposed to = it was the plan, but it didn't happen

• The bus is supposed to come every ten minutes, but I've been waiting for half an hour.

• I was supposed to meet Lan at six, but I forgot.

3. What people say or believe

• This café is supposed to have the best egg coffee in Hanoi.

• The new film is supposed to be really good.

be meant to is close to be supposed to (rules, purpose) and is very common in British English: You're not meant to park here. This app is meant to save you time.

should = advice or the speaker's own opinion. be supposed to = a rule or expectation from outside, often suggesting that reality is different. To criticise something that wasn't done, use should have + V3 (see the lesson “Modal perfect”).

• You should try the egg coffee — it's great.

  my opinion

• You're supposed to pay before you eat here.

  the café's rule

• I was supposed to call my mum last night.

  I promised, but I didn't

💡When you want to say that something was planned or expected but didn't happen, was / were supposed to is often the most natural choice: The flight was supposed to leave at 8.

be about to = something will happen very soon, in seconds or minutes. It doesn't usually go with a time expression (not about to … tomorrow). was / were about to = you were just going to do something when something else happened.

• Hurry up! The doors are about to close.

• I'm just about to have lunch. Can I call you back?

• I was about to go to bed when the phone rang.

• be likely to = will probably happen; negative: be unlikely to or not likely to. American English also often says “He'll likely win”; British English prefers “He's likely to win” or “He'll probably win”.
• be due to + verb = planned for a certain time. Don't confuse it with due to + noun = because of: The game was cancelled due to the rain.
• be bound to = certain to happen (in the speaker's opinion).

• Traffic is likely to be bad this evening.

• She's unlikely to change her mind.

• The new bridge is due to open in May.

• Don't lend him money. He's bound to forget to pay you back.

• ✗You are not suppose to park here.

  ✓You are not supposed to park here.

  Always write supposed with -d.

• ✗We supposed to meet at six yesterday.

  ✓We were supposed to meet at six yesterday.

  You need be (here, past: were).

• ✗You don't supposed to smoke here.

  ✓You aren't supposed to smoke here.

  Make the negative with be + not, not don't.

• ✗The film is about to starting.

  ✓The film is about to start.

  After about to, use the base verb.

• ✗He is likely win.

  ✓He is likely to win.

  Don't leave out to.

• ✗I'm about to visit Hue next year.

  ✓I'm going to visit Hue next year.

  About to is for the very near future, not plans far ahead.