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  • Past Modals: Laura Galindo. Adapted From New English File Upper - Intermediate. Oxford

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    This document discusses the use of past modal verbs like must, may, might, could, can't, and shouldn't/ought to. Must is used to indicate near certainty about something happening in the past. Might, may and could are used to suggest possibilities in the past. Can't and couldn't indicate near impossibility of something occurring. Should and ought to are used to say someone did not do the right or expected thing in the past.

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    Past Modals

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    Past Modals

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    This document discusses the use of past modal verbs like must, may, might, could, can't, and shouldn't/ought to. Must is used to indicate near certainty about something happening in the past. Might, may and could are used to suggest possibilities in the past. Can't and couldn't indicate near impossibility of something occurring. Should and ought to are used to say someone did not do the right or expected thing in the past.

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    178 views6 pages

    Past Modals: Laura Galindo. Adapted From New English File Upper - Intermediate. Oxford

    Uploaded by

    LauGalindo
    This document discusses the use of past modal verbs like must, may, might, could, can't, and shouldn't/ought to. Must is used to indicate near certainty about something happening in the past. Might, may and could are used to suggest possibilities in the past. Can't and couldn't indicate near impossibility of something occurring. Should and ought to are used to say someone did not do the right or expected thing in the past.

    Copyright:

    Attribution Non-Commercial (BY-NC)
    Download as PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
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    Past Modals

    Laura Galindo. Adapted from New English File Upper-Intermediate. Oxford.

    Past Modals
    Use: We use the modal verbs must / may / might / could / cant / couldnt + have + past participle to make deductions or speculate about the past. I must have passed the exam, Im sure I got all the answers right.

    Past Modals
    Must: We use must when you are almost sure that something happened or was true. You must have seen something. You were there when the robbery happened. The opposite of must is cant have. It cant have been him who you saw because he was at home with me.

    Past Modals
    Might,may and could: We use might / may / could when you think its possible that something happened or was true. He still hasnt arrived. I might have given him the wrong directions. Somebody might have stolen your wallet when you were getting off the train.

    Past Modals
    Cant: We use cant and may when you are almost sure that something didnt happen or it is impossible. They cant have gone to bed yet. Its only 10 p.m.

    Past Modals
    Should, ought to: We use should / ought to to say that somebody didnt do the right thing. I should have told you earlier that she was coming. We ought to have turned left at the traffic lights.

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