Past modals for

judgments and suggestions

When we judge past actions we use:

should (n´t) have

 should (n´t) have

We use should (n´t) have when we give an

opinion or judgement about a past situation:

Jessica: I didn´t study for the exam.

Me: You should´ve studied. It was 50 points.

I´m judging Jessica because she didn´t study.

The formula when judging past actions
is…
should have
verb in
subject past participle complement
shouldn´t have

He should
He (study
have studied
more) more.
They shouldn´t havethat
They (drink drunk that much.
much)
Lucy should have arrived
Lucy (arrive early) early.
Alex shouldn´t
Alex (say
have
that)
said that.
When suggesting alternative past
actions we use:
could (n´t) have

would (n´t) have

 would (n´t) have

We use would (n´t) have when we are

imagining a hypothetical situation happening
to us and doing something different:
Jessica: I forgave my boyfriend.
Me: I wouldn´t have forgiven him.
=
If I were Jessica, I wouldn’t have forgiven him.
 could (n´t) have

We use could (nt´t) have when we are

suggesting a hypothetical past possibility:
Jessica: My boyfriend was sad and I didn´t ask
him why.
Me: You could have shown more empathy.
=
You had the chance to show empathy but you
didn´t.
 The formula for suggesting
alternative past actions is…
could (n´t) have verb
in past complement
subject participle
would (n´t) have

She (tell
She could havethe truth)
told the truth.
I wouldn´t
I (lend
have
him
lent
thehim
car)the car.
Carmen
Carmen (be
couldn´t more
have opportune)
been more discreet.
I would
I (would
havefinish
finished
it at ithome
at home.
)