This document discusses modal perfect tenses in Spanish, which are used to make assumptions, conjectures, and draw conclusions about the past. It explains that must have expresses certainty about something that occurred in the past or logical conclusions. Could/may/might have express possibility but uncertainty, while should/ought to have refer to unfulfilled advice, expectations, or obligations or actions seen as ill-advised in hindsight. Examples are provided to illustrate the use of each modal perfect.

1. MODAL PERFECTS

2. MODAL+HAVE+PAST PARTICIPLE
• Los modales perfectos se usan para
hablar de acciones y acontecimientos
pasados. Los empleamos para hacer
suposiciones, conjeturas y sacar
conclusiones sobre el pasado. Estudia las
siguientes frases con verbos modales.

3. –He didn’t come yesterday. He must have
been ill.
–Andrew looks upset. He may have failed his
driving test.
–He should have taken more lessons before
the test.
–He should not have been so sure of himself.
–She couldn’t have won the race. She wasn’t
very fit.

4. MUST HAVE + PAST PARTICIPLE
• Se emplea para expresar que estamos casi
seguros que algo ocurrió en el pasado o para
sacar conclusiones lógicas.
– Sheila was absent yesterday. She must have been
ill. (debe haber estado enferma, seguro que
estuvo enferma.
– There is no milk left. Mary must have drunk it all
as she stayed up late. (debe habérsela bebido)
– Jack came prepared. He must have been informed
about the changes. (seguro que fue informado)

5. COULD/MAY/MIGHT HAVE+PAST PARTICIPLE
• La Se utiliza could have+past participle pasado
para indicar que se tuvo posibilidad de hacer algo
pero no se hizo.
– He could have helped us, but he came too late.
• En negativa, se emplea para expresar una
deducción de algo queque dijera estamos seguros
que no ocurrió, o al menos, así lo decidimos.
– She couldn’t have said those words. She never speaks
like that. (no es posible que dijera esas palabras:
seguro que no las dijo)

6. • Se usa para expresar una suposición porque
no sabemos lo que ocurrió.
– She didn’t come to the party. She could have been
ill.
• May/Might have+participio pasado expresa la
misma idea a la que se refiere el apartado
anterior de can, es decir, una suposición sobre
el pasado.
– They didn’t pick up their parcel last week. They
may/might/could have been out of town.
– Call her again. She may/might/ not have heard
you the first time.

7. SHOULD/OUGHT TO HAVE+PAST PARTICIPLE
• Should y ought to + have + participio pasado
se puede usar indistintamente cuando no se
siguió un consejo.
– She should/ought have seen a doctor last week.
She looks worse than last time.
– These letters should have been typed. Now, it’s
too late. (pasiva)

8. • Cuando no se cumplieron las expectativas u
obligaciones.
– They should have been home by now.
• Al referirnos a una acción que consideramos
poco sensata en el pasado.
– I’m very angry with her. She shouldn’t have been
so rude.