MODAL VERBS OF OBLIGATION, PROHIBITION AND ADVICE – PAST

HAD TO (obligation in the past)

I had to wear a tie in high school.
Students had to pass really hard exams to get into university.

DIDN’T HAVE TO + V1 / NEEDN’T HAVE + V3

Students didn’t have to wear school uniforms.
I didn’t have to work on Saturdays.

Students needn’t have worn school uniforms.

I needn’t have worked on Saturday.

WASN’T / WEREN’T ALLOWED TO + V1

I wasn’t allowed to go out alone in the evenings when I was a child.
(I couldn’t go out alone in the evening when I was a child.)
My students weren’t allowed to speak Turkish in the lessons.
(My students couldn’t speak Turkish in the lessons.)

NEEDED TO + V1
I needed to study really hard to pass the Language Acquisition.

SHOULD HAVE / OUGHT TO HAVE + V3 (PAST REGRETS)

You should have studied harder. (Reality:You didn’t study hard)
The opposition parties should have prepared well for the election.
(Reality: they didn’t prepare well)
SHOULDN’T HAVE + V3 (PAST REGRETS)
I shouldn’t have told him about my secret.
(Reality:I told him about my secret)
He shouldn’t have driven so fast. ( He drove so fast)

DIDN’T NEED TO + V1
In high school, my English was so good. So I didn’t need to study for the English.
I bought every thing. He didn’t need to bring anything.

COULDN’T + V1
He couldn’t pay by credit card because they only accept cash.
I couldn’t pass the exam because I didn’t study enough.
People couldn’t smoke in the area because it was prohibited.