modal verbs of speculation and deduction present and past exercises

You should have bought shares in Google two years ago…you would have made a million dollars last year. This implies a definite result of the actions. We use ‘would have’ to add further comment about something in the past we thought was a good/bad idea but that didn’t happen. We use ‘shouldn’t have’ to talk about something in the past that was not a good idea. You should have bought shares in Google two years ago. We use ‘should have’ to talk about something in the past we thought was a good idea but that didn’t happen: You studied for ages…you should have passed easily. If you study a lot, you should pass the exam easily. We use ‘should’ + verb or ‘should have’ + participle for something we expect to happen or expected to happen in the past. You can’t have washed the dishes…they’re still dirty.Ĭarly couldn’t have scored a goal…she wasn’t playing yesterday. You must have seen him outside.Ĭan’t / couldn’t + have + participle for an untrue deduction about a past action. Must + have + participle for a deduction about a current action.īill just left. Why didn’t it work? I really think he could have interfered with the machine. Why did he leave early? He may have started arguing with her. Why’s she late? Well, she might have gone to the wrong office. Might + may + could + have + past participle for an action in the past which we are speculating about.

Regrets about past actions – Should have / ought to have Speculation based on negative certainty – It can’t have been / couldn’t have been Speculation based on affirmative certainty – Must have been Speculation based on uncertainty – Might have etc. When we use modals in the past they are either Must + be + verb + ing for a true deduction about a current action.Ĭan’t + be + verb + ing for an untrue deduction about a current action. May / might / could + be + -ing for something happening right now or a possible future arrangement. This is the one you learnt in the basic course. Might / may / could something is possibly true. You’d better stop looking at my girlfriend! You should shave your chest hair, you look like a gorilla. I should tidy my room but I want to piss my mum off. You need not worry about taxis…I’ll pick you up. I might turn into a pumpkin at 12 midnight. May I use the bathroom…I have mega gastro-enteritis?īarcelona may get hit by a meteorite tomorrow! When I was younger I could drink all night. You must not smoke crack in the classroom.ĭrinking too much can destroy your health. He must be angry: his wife has three lovers. You must study more! (‘ Have to – versus ‘must’ – shows an obligation comes from somebody else: a law etc.

Expressing feelings about the past: would have, could have, should have.

Modals and certainty (+ adverbs and adjectives of speculation.).

Modal verbs of speculation and deduction present and past exercises