1. Circle the correct modals to complete the sentences.
1 She can’t have / might have / must have left her phone at school. Or perhaps she left it on the bus.
2 There’s no pizza left. They can’t have / could have / must have eaten it all.
3 Juliet can’t have / may have / must have gone on holiday. She was at school yesterday!
4 I didn’t get your email. Do you think you can’t have / could have / must have sent it to my old email address?
5 Your smartwatch probably isn’t broken. It can’t have / could have / must have run out of charge.
6 The school show is on YouTube. Our teacher can’t have / might have / must have uploaded it.
7 You went 130 km in less than an hour? You can’t have / could have / must have driven very fast!
8 Max isn’t replying to my texts. He can’t have / might have / must have taken his phone with him.
Answer
1 might have 2 must have 3 can’t have 4 could have
5 could have 6 must have 7 must have 8 can’t have
2. Complete the sentences with must have or can’t have and the verb in brackets.
1 Jack is usually here by now. He ………………………………. (miss) his bus.
2 Madison didn’t know about the party. She ………………………………. (get) your email.
3 Sam ………………………………. (take) his phone with him; he isn’t answering my text messages.
4 There’s no bread. We ………………………………. (eat) it all at breakfast.
5 They’ve left school already. Their lessons ………………………………. (finish) early today.
6 He ………………………………. (injure) his leg really badly. He cycled home!
Answer
1 must have missed 2 can’t have got
3 can’t have taken 4 must have eaten
5 must have finished 6 can’t have injured
3. Write the correct reply (a-f) after sentences 1-6. Use should / shouldn’t have and the past participle form of the verb in brackets.
1 ‘My camcorder screen is damaged.’
‘…………………………………………………..’
2 ‘I think we’re driving in the wrong direction.’
‘…………………………………………………..’
3 ‘I’ve spent a fortune on my phone this month!’
‘…………………………………………………..’
4 ‘My email account has been hacked again.’
‘…………………………………………………..’
5 ‘Mason is really angry with me.’
‘…………………………………………………..’
6 ‘My tablet is completely dead.’
‘…………………………………………………..’
a We (bring) the satnav.
b You (choose) a better password.
c You (charge) it overnight.
d You (drop) it on the pavement.
e You (make) those comments on Twitter.
f You (call) your friend when you were abroad.
Answer
1 d You shouldn’t have dropped it on the pavement.
2 a We should have brought the satnav.
3 f You shouldn’t have called your friend when you were abroad.
4 b You should have chosen a better password.
5 e You shouldn’t have made those comments on Twitter.
6 c You should have charged it overnight.
4. Complete the dialogue with the modals below. You can use the same modal more than once.
can’t have may / might / could have
might not have must have
Erica What’s the matter, Jack? You look worried.
Jack I can’t find my phone. I 1………………………… left it somewhere.
Erica Did you have it on the bus?
Jack Yes, I did. But I 2………………………… left it there because I used it just after I got off. I sent you a text.
Erica You 3………………………… dropped it when you were walking here from the bus stop.
Jack Yes, that’s possible. I was listening to my MP3 player.
Erica Somebody 4………………………… found it by now and handed it in to the police.
Jack Or they 5………………………… handed it in. They 6………………………… kept in.
Erica Shall I phone the police station and ask?
Jack Yes, OK. But why don’t you call my phone number first?
Erica OK, I will. I can hear your phone ringing.
Jack Me too. I 7………………………… dropped it in the street.
Erica No. You 8………………………… put it down somewhere in the house.
Jack That’s a relief! But where is it?
Answer
1 must have 2 can’t have 3 may / might / could have
4 may / might / could have 5 might not have
6 may / might / could have 7 can’t have 8 must have
5. Write replies for the sentences. Use the words in brackets.
1 ‘My back is really painful.’ (might have)
…………………………………………
2 ‘Ellie has got a really expensive new phone.’ (must have)
…………………………………………
3 ‘I failed my science exam.’ (can’t have)
…………………………………………
4 ‘I’ve deleted all my photos by mistake.’ (should have)
…………………………………………
5 ‘Anna left a rude message on my Facebook page.’ (might not have)
…………………………………………
6 ‘I haven’t got enough money for my bus ticket.’ (shouldn’t have)
…………………………………………
7 ‘It took Ben two hours to get home from school.’ (must have)
…………………………………………
8 ‘I was hungry all morning at school.’ (can’t have)
…………………………………………
9 ‘Molly seemed really disappointed with her exam result.’ (might have)
…………………………………………
Answer
your own answers
6. Complete the sentences with the past modal form of must / might (not) / can’t and the verbs in brackets.
1 She …………………………… a fortune for that mobile – it’s the very latest model! (pay)
2 I …………………………… my keys at home; I remember locking the door this morning. (leave)
3 The doctor wants me to have an X-ray because I …………………………… my arm. (break)
4 It’s possible that your wallet is in the car; you …………………………… it. (lose)
5 I …………………………… that report properly. It isn’t in the right folder. (save)
6 The test was really hard, but I think I …………………………… . I hope so, anyway. (pass)
7 He …………………………… my email yet because I only sent it last night. (read)
8 My phone is completely dead. It …………………………… itself off. (turn)
Answer
1 must have paid 2 can’t have left 3 might have broken
4 might not have lost 5 can’t have saved 6 might have passed
7 might not have read 8 must have turned
7. Complete the dialogues with the past modal form of should (not) and the verbs below.
be install leave put take write
1 A I’ve forgotten my password.
B You …………………………… it down somewhere.
2 A I’ve dropped my phone in the shower.
B You …………………………… it into the bathroom.
3 A I’ve spilled coffee on my computer.
B You …………………………… the cup next to the keyboard.
4 A I think there’s some malware on my laptop.
B You …………………………… better antivirus software.
5 A I’ve cracked the screen of my laptop.
B You …………………………… more careful.
6 A I think somebody’s taken my e-reader.
B You …………………………… it on the desk.
Answer
1 should have written 2 shouldn’t have taken
3 shouldn’t have put/left 4 should have installed
5 should have been 6 shouldn’t have left/put
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