Modal

Perfects
Explanation & Practice
Form We form modal perfects with:

may / might / must / can’t /

could + have + past participle.
 Modal Perfects of Deduction

We can use modal perfects of deductions about

something in the past.
We use must + have + participle to
express a certainty or make a logical
deduction of the past.
James isn’t in his room. He must have
left.
 Modal Perfects of Deduction

We use can’t / couldn’t + have + participle when

we are certain something didn’t happen or wasn’t
true.
He can’t have known it.
 Modal Perfects of Regret

We use should + have + past participle to express regret or

disapproval about something that wasn’t done or didn’t happen in
the past.

I should have waited before I sent the email.

 Modal Perfects of Regret

We use shouldn‘t + have + past participle to express regret or

disapproval about something happened in the past that we wish
hadn’t happened.

You shouldn’t have said anything to him.

 Modal Perfects of Necessity
We use needed to / had to + infinitive to say that something was necessary
in the past.
We needed to speak to the instructor before we can join the
class.

We use didn’t have to / didn’t need to + infinitive when something

was not necessary. It can mean that it did happen or that it didn’t
happen.
They didn’t have to take an exam at the end of the
course.
 Modal Perfects of Necessity
We use needn‘t + have + past participle when something was not necessary
but it happened anyway.

We needn’t have got up so early. Our first lesson was cancelled

anyway.
 MODAL USE TRANSLATION EXAMPLES

MUST + HAVE + PARTICIPLE James isn’t in his room. He must have

DEBE HABER HECHO
DEDUCTION CAN’T / COULDN’T + HAVE +
NO PUEDE O NO PUDO HABER HECHO
left.
PARTICIPLE He can’t have known it.

I should have waited before I sent the

SHOULD + HAVE + PARTICIPLE DEBERÍA HABER HECHO
REGRET SHOULDN’T + HAVE + PARTICIPLE NO DEBERÍA HABER HECHO
email.
You shouldn’t have said anything to him.

NECESITABA / TENÍA QUE HACER We needed to speak to the instructor.

NEEDED TO / HAD TO + INFINITIVE
NO TENÍA QUE HACER / NO NECESITABA They didn’t have to take an exam.
NECESSITY DIDN’T HAVE TO / DIDN’T NEED TO
HACER You look tired. You needn’t have
NEEDN’T + HAVE + PARTICIPLE
NO ERA NECESARIO HABER HECHO worked so hard.
THANK YOU!