past modals. advanced level

1. SPECULATION
AND
DEDUCTION

2. modal
Subject
FORM
V

3. PRESENT MODALS
MUST + INFINITIVE
MAY/MIGHT +
INFINITIVE
CAN’T + INFINITIVE

4. MUST + INFINITIVE
TO SAY THAT WE ARE ALMOST
SURE SOMETHING IS TRUE
ABOUT THE PRESENT:
They must be very well off –
they have an enormous house!

5. MUST + BE + V-ING
TO SAY THAT WE ARE ALMOST
SURE SOMETHING IS TRUE
ABOUT THE PRESENT AT THE
MOMENT OF SPEAKING:
The music is deafening! They
must be having a party!

6. MAY/MIGHT/COULD +
INFINITIVE
TO SAY THAT WE THINK IT’S
POSSIBLE THAT SOMETHING IS
TRUE ABOUT THE PRESENT:
I haven’t seen the manager
today. He may/might/could be
off sick.

7. MAY/MIGHT + BE + V-ING
TO SAY THAT WE THINK IT’S
POSSIBLE THAT SOMETHING IS
TRUE ABOUT THE PRESENT
MOMENT OF SPEAKING:
He doesn’t answer the phone. He
might/may be having a meeting.

8. CAN’T + INFINITIVE
TO SAY THAT WE THINK IT’S
NOT POSSIBLE THAT
SOMETHING IS TRUE ABOUT
THE PRESENT:
He can’t be ambitious. He
is 40 and he has nothing!

9. CAN’T + BE + V-ING
TO SAY THAT WE THINK IT’S NOT
POSSIBLE THAT SOMETHING IS
TRUE ABOUT THE PRESENT
MOMENT OF SPEAKING:
He can’t be listening to me.
He keeps asking me again!

10. SHOULD + INFINITIVE
TO DESCRIBE A SITUATION YOU
EXPECT TO HAPPEN:
If I post the letter today, it
should arrive on Friday.

11. MODALPERFECTS
 Modal Pefects refer to PAST or COMPLETED
ACTIONS:
 You should go to the doctor to feel it
better.
 You should have gone to the doctor.
Which of these sentences refer to the past?
What differences in terms of form can you see?

12. MODAL PERFECTS
Must have
May have/might have
Could have
Couldn’t have
Would have
Should have
Shouldn’t have

13. MUST HAVE + V3
 She hasn’t arrived yet. She must
have been in a traffic jam.
certainty that something
was true

14. MAY HAVE / MIGHT HAVE +V3
 She was late. She may / might
have missed the bus.
a guess about a past
action

15. COULD HAVE + V3
 You could have found a better
one.
ability to have done
something but in
fact did not

16. COULDN’T HAVE + V3
 You couldn’t have done it!
certainty that
something did
not happen

17. WOULD HAVE + V3
 I would have danced if you had asked
me.
willingness to have
done something
but in fact could not

18. SHOULD HAVE + V3
 I should have stayed home instead of
going shopping with my wife!
criticism or regret after
an event

19. SHOULDN’T HAVE + V3
 You shouldn’t have insulted her!

 criticism
after an event

20. TO BE BOUND/SURE +
INFINITIVE
 to say that you think something is
certain to be true or to happen:
1) She’s sure/bound to know.
She’s an expert on the
subject.

21. TO BE LIKELY + INFINITIVE
 to say that you think something is
certain to be true or to happen:
1) According to the doctors,
she’s likely to recover very
soon.

22. TO BE UNLIKELY +
INFINITIVE
 to say that you think something
is NOT certain to be true or to
happen:
 She’s unlikely to forgive
his rude behavior.

23. TO BE UNLIKELY + THAT +
CLAUSE
 to say that you think something
is NOT certain to be true or to
happen:
 It’s unlikely that they will
announce a pay raise.

24. DEFINITELY
 In positive sentences GO
BEFORE A MAIN VERB AND
AFTER THE AUXILIARY VERB
 She’ll definitely pass the
test. She is a bright
student.

25. DEFINITELY
 In negative sentences go
BEFORE THE AUXILIARY
VERB:
 She definitely won’t pass
the test. She is lazy.

26. PROBABLY
 In positive sentences GO
BEFORE A MAIN VERB AND
AFTER THE AUXILIARY VERB:
 She will probably call back at
around 8.

27. PROBABLY
 In negative sentences go
BEFORE THE AUXILIARY
VERB:
 She probably won’t be here at
8. She’s stuck in a traffic jam.