"after consulting her colleagues she was to report that attempts had been made to introduce the plant at a nursery in Göteborg" (s6)
После консультации с коллегами она должна была сообщить, что были предприняты попытки высадить это растение в питомнике в Гётеборге.

“Attempts had been made” (past perfect passive)

"...she was to report that attempts had been made..."

Why past perfect?

Because there are three time layers:

1. Attempts to introduce the plant

2. She consulted her colleagues

3. She was to report

The attempts happened BEFORE the reporting moment.

👉 Past perfect shows an earlier past relative to another past.

Timeline:

✅ This is the correct and precise tense here.

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“be + to + verb” — complete note (present, past, future)

This structure is formal / neutral and is used mainly for:

• official plans

• duties / obligations

• strong expectations

• instructions or announcements

• fate / inevitability (in narration)

It is common in news, reports, official writing, and serious narration.

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1️⃣ Present: am / is / are + to + verb

Form

Subject + am / is / are + to + base verb

Meaning

Something is officially arranged, expected, or required.

Examples

• The committee is to meet tomorrow.

• She is to report directly to the director.

• All visitors are to wear badges.

Paraphrases

• is expected to

• is scheduled to

• must (formal)

📌 Note:
This is not casual conversation. In everyday speech, people prefer:

• is going to

• will

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2️⃣ Past: was / were + to + verb

Form

Subject + was / were + to + base verb

Main meanings (very important)

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A️⃣ Official plan or duty in the past

Often used in reports or narration.

• She was to report her findings the next day.
  (= that was her assignment)

✔️ The action may or may not have happened — context tells us.

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B️⃣ Something that was planned but did NOT happen

Very common in storytelling.

• He was to become a great scientist, but the war intervened.

👉 This implies: it never happened

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C️⃣ Fate / inevitability (literary style)

• This decision was to change his life forever.

Very common in biographies and history books.

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3️⃣ Future: will be + to + verb

Form

Subject + will be + to + base verb

Meaning

A future obligation or official plan, often formal.

Examples

• The president will be to address the nation at 8 p.m.

• You will be to report any irregularities immediately.

📌 Sounds formal / authoritative
Less common in everyday speech.

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4️⃣ Negative form

Structure

be + not + to + verb

Examples

• Employees are not to disclose confidential information.

• You were not to leave the building.

This often means:

• must not

• were forbidden to

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5️⃣ Question form (rare, formal)

• Am I to understand that the project is canceled?

• Was he to remain in charge?

Common in formal meetings and writing.

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6️⃣ Comparison (very useful)

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7️⃣ One-line memory rule

“Be to + verb” = an official or strongly expected action, often in formal or reported contexts.