Verbs: modals of past probability

You must have been a beautiful baby.

When we know that something happened in the past, we use a normal past tense. (He
did, I saw them, etc.) If we are not completely sure, we use a modal (must, may, might,
could + have). The choice of modal depends on the degree of certainty, as in the
following table.
PROBABILITY VERB EXAMPLE
!!"
almost certain #$"
$!" (possible)
possible but unlikely
highly unlikely
!" impossibility
past simple
must have
could have
might/ may have
cant/couldnt have
past simple negati%e
She knew.
We must have arrived.
She could have forgotten.
We might/may have made a
mistake.
You couldnt have lost it.
He didnt know.
The following sentences are about an escaped criminal. &ewrite them using a modal
from the abo%e table, as in the e'ample(

)'ample( It is almost certain that he left before breakfast.
He must ha%e left before breakfast.
. It is highly unlikely that he carried the gold by himself.
*. It seems +uite likely that he had an accomplice.
,. He has almost certainly been spotted by the police by now.
-. It is possible but unlikely that he headed towards .ondon.
$. It/s +uite possible that he ga%e himself up.
0. It is almost certain that he realised how serious it was.
1. It is highly unlikely that he thought things through clearly.
2. 3ossibly he escaped by boat.
#. It/s +uite likely that he made contact with his friends.
!. It is possible but unlikely that he died.
T)45H)&/6 78T)6
ANSWERS
1 He can/t9couldn/t ha%e carried the gold by himself.
2 He may ha%e had an accomplice.
3 He must ha%e been spotted by the police by now.
4 He might ha%e headed towards .ondon.
5 He could9may ha%e gi%en himself up.
6 He must ha%e realised how serious it was.
7 He can/t couldn/t ha%e thought things through clearly.
8 He could ha%e escaped by boat.
9 He may ha%e made contact with his friends.
10 He might ha%e committed suicide.