Grammar

C1
past modals

Recommended for:
Gold Experience
Focus
High Note

2019 1
 Modal verbs can also be called
attitude verbs because that’s what
they show.
Let’s look at:
1. Using past modals to express:
a. Possibility and certainty.
b. An unfilled obligation, regret or criticism.
c. Predictions.

1. The use of need and dare.

Possibility and
certainty...

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 To express possibility and certainty
We can use past modals to express an element of possibility or certainty.

100% sure it’s not true

Tina isn’t here!

CERTAINTY
50:50

She can’t have forgotten because I spoke

to her earlier.
She must have got stuck in traffic. It’s
terrible today.
100% sure it’s true
She may (well) have decided not to come. I
think she has a cold.
Put the responses on the She could/might/may have got lost on her
cline. way. This place is hard to find.
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 To express possibility and certainty
We can use past modals to speculate or make deductions about certainty and possibility.

Careful here. The opposite of

100% sure it’s not true can’t have
must have is can’t have, not
mustn’t have.

might/may
have We can also use could have
possibility
certainty

to talk about a (missed)

opposites
opportunity. Look at this
CERTAINTY
50:50 could have example...

100% sure it’s true must have

Unfilled obligation,
regret and criticism...
Mary could have earned a fortune, but she decided to
give it all up to travel.
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 To express an unfilled obligation, regret
or criticism
Match the examples to the specific uses in the table.

To say something required or Based on experience To show annoyance

desired didn’t happen (or the
opposite!)

Fred ought not to have called so Sam could have let me know about Laura might have tried harder to
late at night. He knows she’s ill. the test earlier! find the coat of mine she lost!

I ought to have known that the Tim should have told the truth to They shouldn’t have gone off the
exam was this morning. his parents. beaten track; it’s dangerous!
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 To express an unfilled obligation regret
or criticism
Match the examples to the specific uses in the table.

To say something required or Based on experience To show annoyance

desired didn’t happen (or the
opposite!)
should have ought to could have
Tim should have told the truth to his I ought to have
have known that the exam Sam could have let me know about
parents. was this morning! the test earlier!

shouldn’t have
They shouldn’t have gone off the Fred ought nottotohave
ought not have called so late at might have
Laura might have tried harder to find
beaten track; it’s dangerous! night. He knows she’s ill. the coat of mine she lost!

Take note of the modal

Remember that modal
verbs we use to
verbs can show many
express these Predictions...
different attitudes.
attitudes.

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 To make a prediction
Look at what the girl says and answer the questions.

The film should have finished by now

because it started hours ago.

Where is the prediction Is the prediction based on

in this statement? this known fact?

The film
What information here is Yes.
should have
finished. known?
That the film
started
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 To make a prediction
- based on known information.

The film should have finished by now

because it started hours ago.

This is the known

Here is the prediction... information on which the
prediction is based.

Notice how we use

should have to make The use of need and
these types of dare...
predictions.
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 The use of need and dare
Look at the conversation and answer the questions.

I needed to speak to the

You needn’t have
teacher about the
worried. Everyone
assignment, but I dared
asked for an extension
not to ask because I was
because it was so hard.
so late starting it.

Look at what the girl says. Did she feel

Look at what the boy says. Was it
it was necessary to speak to the
necessary for the girl to worry?
teacher?

Did she have the courage to do it?

Yes.
No.

No.
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 The use of need and dare
1. Need to: to say it was or wasn’t necessary to do something.

I needed to speak to the teacher.

2. Needn’t have: to say something was done unnecessarily.

You needn’t have worried.

3. Dare to/dare not to: to mean ‘have the courage’ to do something.

I dared not to ask the teacher about the assignment.

How do we make
sentences using
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 Form: past modals
Complete the table with the correct boxes.

Subject
She must have gone out.

Angie and Tim ought to have called.

I needn’t have eaten.

Maxi can’t have finished.

Infinitive aux. have

Modal verb
Past participle

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 Form: past modals Ought to and needn’t are what we call semi-modals. They
are not pure modals, but function in the same way.

Subject Modal verb Infinitive aux. have Past participle

She must have gone out.

Angie and Tim ought to have called.

I needn’t have eaten.

Maxi can’t have finished.

I dared not to ask.

I needed to speak to the teacher.

With the structures dare to and need to, we just add a

bare infinitive. Reduced conditionals also have
past modal verb forms. Look at this
example. Time to practise...
She would have loved it (if she had
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 Practice activities
Complete the sentences using a past modal structure. Use the part in bold to help you.

1. A: I read all the books on the list. B: That wasn’t necessary! We only had to read the first two!
needn’t have read
You ………………………….…… all the books on the list!

2. A: I didn’t have the courage to go rock climbing and now I regret it.
dared not to go rock climbing
I …………………………………………. and now I regret it.

3. A: Jenny seemed upset on the phone last week. B: She had a cold. It’s quite possible she still felt really ill.

might/may have still felt really ill because she had a cold last week.
Jenny ………………………………………..

4. A: Phil flew back from holiday yesterday. B: That’s impossible. There was a strike at the airport.
can’t have flown
Phil ……………………………….. yesterday because there was a strike at the airport.

5. A: I can’t believe Eddie didn’t give me a lift! I take him to work every day. Very annoying!
might/could have given me a lift
Eddie ……………………………………………….. ! I take him to work every day!

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