Uncertainty in the Past

Part 1: Choose the correct words to complete the sentence. Some of the words may not be
used. The first one is done for you.

1. It’s 3:15 and you were supposed to meet your sister at 3:00, but she’s not there. She is
late. She __might have gotten__________________ lost.
might/ get/ gotten/ gets/ have/ has/ had

2. When you arrived at your house, you noticed the lamp was broken. One of the kids
________________________________________________________ it.
must/ break/ broke/ broken/ breaks/ have/ has/ had

3. Where is the cake? It’s gone. But you ____________________________________________ all of it!
could/ not/ eat/ ate/ eaten/ eats/ have/ has/ had

4. He didn’t answer his phone, but I know he always has his phone with him. He
___________________________________________________ it ring.
must/ not/ hear/ heard/ hears/ have/ has /had

5. Where is my jacket? My roommate ____________________________________________ it by mistake.

could/ take/ took/ taken/ takes/ have/ has/ had

6. I’m not sure, but I think I ____________________________________________ a spider in my backpack.

might/ see/ saw /seen/ have/ has/ had

7. Why didn’t you come to my party? You _____________________________________________ the email

with the new date and time.
must/ not/ receive /received /receives/ have /has/ had

8. Who made this mess? It ___________________________________________________ your brother

because he’s at school. It must have been you!
could/ not/ be/ been /was/ have/ has/ had

9. Why is there such bad traffic? There _____________________________________________________ an

accident on the freeway that just happened a few minutes ago.
must/ not/ be/ been/ was/ have/ has/ had
10. What was that noise? It ____________________________________________________ Brad because he’s
out of town. There’s no one else in the house besides us!
could/ not/ be/ been/ was/ have/ has/ had

Part 2: Complete the sentence by changing the past tense verb to the past modal form.
The first one is done for you.

11. The ground is wet. Maybe it rained.

The ground is wet. It may have rained/ might have rained/ could have rained. (All are
correct.)

12. Jane was crying. She most likely heard the bad news.

She __________________________________________________ the bad news.

13. The cat is wet. Maybe she was playing in the rain, or maybe Mom gave her a bath.

Mom _______________________________________________her a bath.

14. This book is in Italian. Matt didn’t write it—that’s impossible. He doesn’t speak
Italian.

Matt ________________________________________________ this book.

15. Brian didn’t cook this dinner. That’s not possible because he doesn’t know how
to cook.

Brian _________________________________________________this dinner.

16. John most likely didn’t read the directions before he started this test—he did the
whole thing wrong!

John ___________________________________________________ the directions.