核心问题
As early as his second film, Chaplin had developed his own manner of acting, the one that was to become world-famous. [《高中英语教科书》第二册(上), 人教社, p.26]
[原译]……卓别林就已经形成他自己的表演风格,这就是他必将在后来闻名于世的那种表演风格。[《高中英语重点·难点纵横谈》(2),中国科技大学出版社,p.15]请问上句中的 was to 是“必将”的意思吗?
词典解答
上面句子里的 was/were to 并没有情态意义,而只有纯粹过去将来时的意义,似可译为:卓别林形成了他自己的表演风格,这种风格后来闻名于全世界。