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Past Modal Verbs of Deduction Exercise

She must have gone out - There is strong evidence.

I might/may/could have made a mistake - There is a possibility..
He can't/couldn't have been there. - It's impossible.

A Fill the gaps with must have, might have or can't have.

1 She ................................studied
must have really hard. She passed all her exams with excellent grades.
must have
2 He ................................ arrived by now, but I am not really sure.
can't have
3 The boss is in a terrible mood. The meeting ................................ been good.
can't have
4 Sarah ................................ been so happy when she found out that her father had died.
5 I had to wait 45 minutes for a bus yesterday. Maybe, there ................................
might have been an accident or maybe a strike.
might have
6 Andrew did not study for the exam but he passed. I think he ................................ cheated, there is a possibility.
must have
7 I left my bicycle in front of the library and it's disappeared. I am sure someone ................................ stolen it.
can't have
8 John was the presenter for the meeting. He ................................ forgotten about this important event.
9 I'm sorry but Samantha isn't here. She ................................
might have already left the office.
might have
10 He ............................ known it was your birthday. Otherwise, I'm sure he would have wished you a happy
day.

B Now write some examples of your own.

1 ..........................................................................................................................................

2 ..........................................................................................................................................
3 ..........................................................................................................................................
4 ..........................................................................................................................................

www.autoenglish.org Written by Bob Wilson ©Robert Clifford McNair Wilson 2013

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mustn't have had

couldn't have supported

could have developed

must have made

must have fished

must have eaten

may have lived

could have made

must have came

(must / come)

could have called

must have had

might have moved

couldn't have created

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could have phoned

might have been

must have had

You are sure.

You are not sure.

You are not sure.

It is impossible.

You are sure.

Example:

period / society/ century

society,traditions

ancient,prehistoric,society

may have seen

fragments, pieces

society, ancestors,
can't have been
traditions
must have seen

Example: His cell phone must have been turned off.

The battery could have died.
He might not have had Internet access.

must have had

They must have been on an accident.

can't have been She might have forgotten .

might have been

It must have been educational or of comedy

He might have been stuck in traffic