Complete the party planner's tragic diary entry.
I always knew that one day Gary __________________________ a surprise, but I didn't think it would be today. We _____________________________ out from behind the sofa when the birthday girl opened the door, but Gary accidentally bumped into the light switch too early. What started as a fun celebration __________________________ the most awkward evening of my life.
The correct answers are would ruin, were about to jump, and was to become.
We use "would" to express a prediction made in the past about a future event.
"Were about to" describes an action that was imminent (very close to happening) in the past before it was interrupted.
"Was to become" (was/were + infinitive) is a formal way to describe a destiny or something that was arranged to happen later in the past story.