UNIVERSIDADE FEDERAL DO PARÁ

Faculdade de Letras Estrangeiras Modernas

Perfect Modal Verbs

modal verb + have + past participle
Perfect Modal: Could
could have _____
couldn't have _____
past ability

The boy
could have done
the dishes himself,
but his father
decided to help.
Perfect Modal: Should
should have ____
shouldn't have ____
You did or didn't do something
that was a good idea.
The girl
shouldn't have spun
around so many
times. She fell down.

spin* / spun / spun

Perfect Modal: Would
would have ____
wouldn't have ____
past condition / past situation

This house of cards

would have fallen
over if the person
who built it hadn't
been so careful.
Perfect Modal: May
may have _____
may not have _____
past possibility

My grandfather
may have used
this camera when he
was a young man,
but I'm not sure.
Perfect Modal: Might
might have ______
might not have _____
past possibility

Her mother
might have put
mustard on her
sandwich. She hopes
not.
Perfect Modal: Must
must have ____
must not have ___
past probability.
This indicates that something
probably happened in the past.

They
must have practiced
a lot because they're
very good musicians.
 Future Perfect Tense: Will
Unlike all the other modals above, will is used for the future:
Subject + will + have + past participle
It describes an action that will be completed in the future.
For example:
I moved to Minnesota in 1991. The year now is 2008.
By 2011, I will have lived in Minnesota for 20 years.

Singular Plural
I will have lived We will have lived
You will have lived You will have lived
He will have lived -
She will have lived They will have lived
It will have lived -
References
• http://www.learnamericanenglishonline.com/Yellow
%20Level/Y12%20Perfect%20Modals.html