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How many modal verbs can you write
in the chat?
GO!

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We have many ways of expressing the past using modals:
- could (past of can) She could run 100 metres in 20 seconds.
- would (meaning used to) We would swim in the lake by our house in summer.

We can also use modals with have + past participle:

- could have (something was possible in theory) He could have been a singer.
- should have (something was a good idea but didn’t happen) You should have
told me that the doctor called.
- would have (when part of a conditional to imagine the result if a past event
had changed) If I had studied harder, I would have passed the exam.

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What is the past of these present modals?

• I can go • I could go

• He won't go • He wouldn't go

• I should go • I should have gone

• They would go • They would have gone

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 We can use past modals to speculate or make guesses about past events .

must have we feel sure about what happened

Police think the suspect must have entered the country on a fake passport.

might have / may have* we think it's possible that something happened
The thief may have come at night. Nobody saw anyone enter or leave during the day.

can't have / couldn't have we think it's not possible that something happened
She can't have committed the murder. She was at her sister’s the whole time.

* May have is more formal than might have. Could have is also possible in this context but less common.

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Past modals
1. Is the event in the past or present?
2. Did we see the event?
3. Can we make a guess about the event?

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Remember, we use should have and ought to have to say that a different
action was recommended in the past. We use must have to make deductions
about the past.

So, to express past obligation we use had to:

present We should/ought to/must/have to
stay at home until lockdown is over.

past We had to stay at home until

lockdown was over.

Grammar tip: Modal verbs’ meanings

often change when referring to the past!

English Online | www.britishcouncil.org

Now try this!

1. must have a. a good idea that didn’t happen

2. would have b. often used in conditionals
3. couldn’t have c. we think it’s possible
4. should have d. we are sure it’s true
5. might have e. we think it’s not possible

English Online | www.britishcouncil.org

Now try this!

1. must have a. a good idea that didn’t happen

2. would have b. often used in conditionals
3. couldn’t have c. we think it’s possible
4. should have d. we are sure it’s true
5. might have e. we think it’s not possible

English Online | www.britishcouncil.org

Thank you for attending this grammar presentation.
Now you’re ready for…

https://learnenglish.britishcouncil.org/grammar/intermediate-to-upper-
intermediate/modals-deductions-about-the-past

English Online | www.britishcouncil.org