MODAL VERBS OF DEDUCTION

(PRESENT)

“Deduction” means using the information

available to make a guess or draw a conclusion
about the facts.
 MODALS OF DEDUCTION
• MUST
• CAN’T
• MIGHT
 MUST
• When we are sure something is true, we use
must.

He must be a
chef

We are very certain because of his uniform and what he is doing

 CAN’T
• When we are sure something is NOT true, we
use can’t.

He can’t be a
policeman.

We are very certain he is NOT a policeman because of his uniform

ANOTHER EXAMPLE OF MUST AND CAN’T

Information:
Carla works every day from 9 AM to 5 PM. Right
now it’s 10:30 AM, so ..

She MUST be at work

She CAN’T be at home

 MIGHT
• When we think there is a possibility something
is true. We use might or could.

Information:
1. They are speaking Spanish. So …..
THEY MIGHT BE MEXICAN

2. They are speaking Sundanese

THEY MIGHT COME FROM BANDUNG
 ANOTHER EXAMPLE OF MIGHT
Information:
They look quite similar

They might be brother and sister

 PUT IT INTO PRACTICE

CAN’T
He ________________ be a vegetarian.
 PUT IT INTO PRACTICE

MUST
You studied all night. You ____________ be
exhausted.
 PUT IT INTO PRACTICE

2+2=5

That ___________
CAN’T be right.
 PUT IT INTO PRACTICE

She ______
MUST love her cat.
 EXERCISES
1. She isn't answering the phone. She ______ be
out.
2. They _______ be Spanish, they're speaking
Portuguese.
3. He _______ have a job interview today - he's
waiting to hear from the company.
4. Sara's very busy. She _________not be able to
come tonight.
5. He drives an expensive car. He ______ be rich.
 MODAL VERBS OF DEDUCTION
(PAST)

“Deduction” means using the information available to make a guess or

draw a conclusion about the facts.

“Deduction” guessing if something is true using available information”

To make a guess about a past situation, we use:

MODAL VERBS WITH THE PRESENT PERFECT TENSE

NO VERB NON-VERB

1 MUST HAVE + V3 MUST HAVE + BEEN + NV

2 MIGHT HAVE + V3 MIGHT HAVE + BEEN + NV

3 CAN’T HAVE + V3 CAN’T HAVE + BEEN + NV

 MUST HAVE
When feel sure about what happened.

MIGHT HAVE
When we think it’s possible that something
happened

Can’t have / couldn’t have

SOMEBODY HAS EATEN MY HOT DOG. WHO
WAS THAT?

There’s some
Jane was in the
ketchup on TOM’s
kitchen 10 minutes
shirt
ago
MAGIE IS ON A
DIET
 WHO ATE MY HOT DOG???
• Tom must have eaten my hot dog
• Jane might have eaten my hot dog
• Magie can’t have eaten my hot dog