 czasowniki modalne wyrażające umiejętność (can / could oraz konstrukcja be able to)

 czasowniki modalne wyrażające prawdopodobieństwo (could / may / might / must)

 czasowniki modalne wyrażające konieczność i przymus (must / mustn’t oraz
czasownik have to)
 czasowniki modalne pomocne przy udzielaniu rad (should / ought to oraz had better).

'Paul looks tired, he must have been out late last night.'
'I could have won the race if I had trained harder.'
'He might have gotten really sick if he hadn't started taking care of his health.'
'She may have taken the day off, because I haven't seen her today.
'I saw a strange light in the sky last night. It could have been a UFO!'

Modal verbs used to speculate about the past

MUST, MAY, MIGHT, COULD, CAN’T + have

+Past Particaple

Past:

MODAL VERB + HAVE + Past Participle (3rd Form)

Present:

MODAL VERB + BARE INFINITIVE (GO, BE, EAT)

MUST
He …………………………. the crime. (= I’m sure he committed the crime)
On musiał popełnić to przestępstwo.
There ………………………………………………. an earthquake here.

MAY (NOT), MIGHT (NOT) , COULD:

She ……………………… at home then. (= It’s possible that she wasn’t at home then)
Mogło jej nie być wtedy w domu.
They ………………………. earlier. (= It’s possible that she left earlier)
Oni mogli wyjść wcześniej.
He ……………………. her. (= It’s possible that he told her)
On mógł jej powiedzieć.

He …………………………….. something amazing.

She …………………………….. some bad news.

Something bad ………………………………..

CAN’T / COULDN’T:
 She ………………………… it. (= I’m sure she didn’t do it)
Ona nie mogła tego zrobić.
They ………………………… about it. (= I’m sure they didn’t know about it)
Oni nie mogli o tym wiedzieć.

He ……………………… a break.
He ………………………….. working long.

MUST HAVE DONE

Wyraża pewność w odniesieniu do wydarzenia z przeszłości. Forma ta nie

występuje w postaci zaprzeczonej.

You ……………………………. after such a long journey.

Musiałeś być zmęczony po tak długiej podróży.

He’s ill so he …………………………. something that wasn’t fresh.

Jest chory, więc musiał zjeść coś co było nieświeże.

CAN’T / COULDN’T HAVE DONE

Jeśli jesteśmy przekonani, że dana sytuacja nie miała miejsca w przeszłości stosujemy can’t have
done.

You ………………….. Jane yesterday because she’s in Paris now.

Nie mogłeś widzieć wczoraj Jane ponieważ jest teraz w Paryżu.

She ………………….. the lift because it’s been out of order since yesterday.
Nie mogła skorzystać z windy ponieważ od wczoraj nie działa.
Why did you do that? You …………………….. your leg!
Dlaczego to zrobiłaś? Mogłaś złamać sobie nogę!

MAY / MIGHT HAVE DONE

Jeśli chcesz powiedzieć, że coś prawdopodobnie wydarzyło się w przeszłości, użyj konstrukcji may /
might have done.

I …………………. my keys on the train.

Być może zgubiłem klucze w pociągu.

Someone ………………………. my suitcase by accident.

Być może ktoś zabrał moją walizkę przez przypadek.

SHOULD HAVE DONE

Forma dokonana should have done (również ought to have done) wyraża powinność lub obowiązek,
który nie został spełniony.

You …………………… equations before the exam.

Powinieneś (był) powtórzyć równania przed egzaminem.

You ……………………… to the dentist straight away.

Powinieneś (był) pójść do dentysty od razu.

Imagine that you go to your friend's house, but when you knock on her door there is no answer. You
then notice that her car is not there, so the conclusion you come to is that :

she …... (go out)

Modals in the Present and Past

Generally speaking modals in the past have the following form:

 modal + have + past participle

Example:

 Present:
You should see a doctor.
 Past:
You should have seen a doctor
Except for modals that express obligation,ability and lack of necessity:

 Obligation:
Present = I must / have to work hard. -- Past = I had to work hard.
 Ability:
Present = I can run fast. -- Past = I could run fast when I was young.
 Lack of necessity:
Present = You don't have to / needn't take your umbrella. -- Past = You didn't have to / didn't
need to take your umbrella.

Modals in the Present Modals in the Past

You must / have to stop when the
Obligation You had to stop.
traffic lights are red.
Advice You should see a doctor. You should have seen a doctor
Prohibition You mustn't smoke here. You mustn't have smoked there.
Ability I can run fast. I could run fast. now I am old.
He has a Rolls Royce. He must be very He must have been rich. He had a
rich. big house and an expensive car.
Certainty
He can't be American. His English is He can't have written that poem.
terrible. He was illiterate.
She could drive her father's car
Permission Can I go out?
when she was only 15.
It may / can / could / might rain. It's I guess it may / can / could / might
Possibility
cloudy. have been Lacy on the phone.
You don't have to / needn't buy any
Lack of You didn't have to / didn't need to
tomatoes. There are plenty in the
necessity buy tomatoes.
fridge.