Must have, can't have, couldn't have:

expressing past probability

Structure: modal verb + have + past participle

must have been, can't have gone, couldn't have gone, etc.

We use must have to express that we feel They must have left early.
sure that something was true in the past. He must have already gone.

He can't have escaped through this window

We use can't have or couldn't have to say – it’s too small.
that we believe something was impossible She can't have said that.
in the past. She couldn't have said that.

May / might / could have: expressing past probability

Structure: modal + have + past participle

may have been, could have gone, might have lost, etc.

We use may have, could have, might He may have missed the bus.
have to say that it was possible that The road might have been blocked.
something happened in the past (but we are (= ‘I think the road was blocked, but I’m not
not 100% sure). 100% sure.’)

He may not have left yet.

I might not have given her the money; I’m
The negatives are may not have and might not sure.
not have. We don’t use couldn’t have in the I could not have given her the money, I’m
same way. not sure.

COMPLETE DE EXERCISERS WITH THE PAST MODAL VERBS

Could Have Should Have Would Have Exercise

1. I ___________________________________ (buy) bread but I didn’t know we needed it.

(Past possibility)

2. We ___________________________________ (invite) so many people to our party! I’m

Worried that we won’t have enough room for everyone. (Past negative advice / regret)

3. I ___________________________________ (start) saving money years ago! (Past advice

/ regret)
4. We ___________________________________ (join) you at the restaurant, but we

Couldn’t get a babysitter. (Past willingness)

5. The weather ___________________________________ (be) any worse! (Past negative

Possibility)

6. I ___________________________________ (arrive) on time, even if I’d left earlier.

There were dreadful traffic jams all the way. (Past negative possibility)

7. They ___________________________________ (win) the football match, but John hurt

His ankle. (Past possibility)

8. Amanda ___________________________________ (finish) the work, but she felt ill and

Had to go home. (Past willingness)

9. Lucy ___________________________________ (left) earlier. She missed her flight.

(Past advice / regret)

10. We ___________________________________ (finish) the game, even if we’d wanted

To. It was raining very hard and we had to stop. (Past negative possibility)

11. I ___________________________________ (eat) so much chocolate! I feel sick! (Past

Negative advice / regret)

12. Luke ___________________________________ (pass) the exam if he’d studied a bit

More. (Past possibility)

2 Could have should have would have exercise. May be freely copied for
personal or Classroom use.

13. John ___________________________________ (call) Amy, but he didn’t have her

Number. (Past willingness)

14. You ___________________________________ (be) rude to him. He’s going to be really

Angry now. (Past negative advice / regret)

15. She ___________________________________ (come) to the restaurant if she’d left

Work earlier. (Past possibility)

16. You ___________________________________ (take) this job. I can see you’re not

Enjoying it. (Past negative advice / regret)

17. The race was really difficult. She ___________________________________ (win)

Because she’s not fit enough. (Past negative possibility)

18. Our neighbor’s ___________________________________ (cut) down the tree in their garden.
It was a really beautiful tree. (past negative advice / regret)

19. The children ___________________________________ (do) their homework last night.

Then they wouldn’t be panicking on the way to school. (past advice / regret)

20. I’m really cold! I ___________________________________ (bring) my coat. (past advice /

regret)

21. I ___________________________________ (come) to see you! I didn’t know you were ill.
(past willingness)

22. Andrew ___________________________________ (go) to Cambridge University, but he

decided to travel instead. (Past possibility)

23. They ___________________________________ (be) kinder to me. They were absolutely

lovely. (Past negative possibility)

24. You ___________________________________ (buy) some milk at the shops. We don’t have
any milk. (Past advice / regret)

25. They ___________________________________ (come) to have breakfast with us, but they
went to bed too late the night before. (Past willingness).

Modals of Possibility and Probability for Past Situations - Exercise 1

Choose the correct modal to complete the sentence.

1. Our son promised to clean his room, but it is still messy. He

___________________________________________

A. ? can't clean it.

B. ? couldn't have cleaned it.

C. ? Couldn’t to have cleaned it.

D. ? cannot clean it.

2. My plants are dead. I ________________________________________________

A. ? Couldn’t give them enough water.

B. ? Can’t not have given them enough water.

C. ? Must give them more water.

 D. ? Can’t have given them enough water.

3. Paul's class starts at 8:30. Its 8:45 and he's not here yet. He
_____________________________________________

A. ? must have been sick.

B. ? must be sick.

C. ? Must have missed the bus.

D. ? Might have missed the bus.

4. My friend promised to pick me up at 7:00. It's now 7:25 and I don't see him. He
_________________________________________

A. ? might be forgetting.

B. ? must have forgotten.

C. ? might have forgotten.

D. ? might forget.

5. I don't know why he hasn't called me back. He

__________________________________________________

A. ? Might have forgotten my number.

B. ? Must have forgotten my number.

C. ? Might be forgetting my number.

D. ? might forget my number.

6. The hockey player's injury kept him out of the Stanley Cup Playoffs. He
_____________________________________

A. ? must have been disappointment.

B. ? might have been disappointed.

C. ? must have been disappointed.

D. ? must have been disappointing.

7. Look! Our car isn't in the driveway! Somebody

_________________________________________

A. ? might have stolen it.

B. ? could have stolen it.

C. ? must have stolen it.

D. ? must be stealing it.

 8. Betty said she was hungry, but she didn't eat very much after all. She
_______________________________________________

A. ? couldn't like the food.

B. ? couldn't have been hungry.

C. ? can't like the food.

D. ? Couldn’t have liked the food.

9. The twins have guilty expressions on their faces. They

________________________________________

A. ? must do something naughty.

B. ? Might have done something naughty.

C. ? might do something naughty.

D. ? Must have done something naughty.

10. My white shirt now has green streaks in it. I

____________________________________________

A. ? Must not have not washed it properly.

B. ? can't wash it properly.

C. ? Must to wash it properly.

D. ? Can’t have washed it properly.

We use the modal might (you can also use may or could) because
they show that we are not 100% sure about what happened. We are
speculating about past events (guessing what we think happened).
We then must use have followed by a past participle verb. We use
'must' when we have a stronger opinion about what happened.

Here are some other examples:

"My neighbour could have stolen the flowers"

"The wind might have blown them all away."

You can find more information here: Speculating about past events
. Erica must ___ gone out. I can't see her.

could
has
have

He looks tired. He might have ___ awake all night.

could

an
has

been

 I think James must have ___ all the milk. There's none left.

drinking
drank

drink
drunk

 Look at Lilly's suntan. She must have ___ somewhere hot on vactaion.

go

goes
gone

going

She's late. She may have ___ the wrong road.

taked
took
has

taken