Exercise 1
Choose the best option.
a I tried and tried but I can’t/couldn’t open the jar.
b How nice of you to write and thank me. You really had to/needn’t have.
c When we were at school we must/had to wear school uniform. We all hated it.
d I heard a noise. I think it must have/should have been the cat jumping through the window.
e You could have/would have laughed if you’d seen his face!
f I’m afraid I can’t have/wasn’t able to get in touch with George.
g You might have/can’t have seen lim. He left for the States last week.
h I think you should have/had to apologized to Samantha.
i I needn’t/didn’t have to work last Sunday. I had a day off.
j That letter must/might have arrived by now. I sent it yesterday.
Exercise 2
Find the incorrect sentences.
a You should have watched the film last night. It was great.
b I hadn’t to go to work last week so I went to stay with friends.
c Pete must gone out. The door’s locked.
d I would have got full marks if I’d studied a bit harder.
e We needn’t to hurry – we had plenty of time.
f Jim can’t swim till he was twelve.
g The phone was ringing when I came in. It might be Lisse.
h Did you must get up early when you worked on the farm?
i We shouldn’t have stayed out so late. I’m tired now.
j Do you think that man we saw can have been the burglar?
Exercise 3
Complete the sentences. Use a modal from the list and the correct form of the verb in brackets.
might have could have (x 2) should have had to
didn’t have to would have needn’t have
a What …………………. you …………………. (do) if you’d been me?
b I’m not sure but I think it …………………. (be) the postman who knocked just then.
c No one …………………. (predict) last night’s thunderstorm. It was a total surprise.
d Do you think I …………………. (call) Nick?
e None of us …………………. (get up) early so we slept till eight.
f Phil …………………. (send) me these flowers but I’m glad he did!
g I think Tom …………………. (be) here. I think I saw his car.
h We …………………. (clean) the flat because the kids had already done it.
Exercise 4
True or false?
|
a Jo shouldn’t have been so silly. Jo wasn’t silly. |
True |
False |
|
b That must have been an eagle. I’m sure it was an eagle. |
True |
False |
|
c You couldn’t have been there. I’m sure you weren’t there. |
True |
False |
|
d I didn’t have to go to school yesterday. I probably went to school. |
True |
False |
Answers
Read the note to find out why.
1
a couldn’t -> G
b needn’t have -> D
c had to -> C
d must have -> A
e would have -> H
f wasn’t able to -> G
g can’t have -> B
h should have -> E
i didn’t have to -> C
j might have -> F
2
a correct -> E
b hadn’t to didn’t have to -> C
c must gone must have gone -> A
d correct -> H
e needn’t to hurry needn’t have hurried -> D
f can’t couldn’t -> G
g might be might/could have been -> F
h Did you must Did you have to -> C
i correct -> E
j can have been could have been -> F
3
a would you have done
b might have been/could have been
c could have predicted
d should have called
e had to get up
f needn’t have sent
g might have been/could have been
h didn’t have to clean
4
a False c True
Notes
A
Use must have + past participle to say that you believe that something was true in the past.
B
Use can’t/couldn’t have + past participle to say that you believe that something was impossible in the past.
C
Use didn’t have to/had to to talk about things that weren’t or were necessary in the past.
D
Use needn’t have + past participle to say that something wasn’t necessary in the past but that it happened anyway.
E
Use should/shouldn’t have + past participle to say that something was the right or wrong thing to do in the past.
F
Use might/could have + past participle to say that something was a possibility.
G
Use couldn’t/could and wasn’t able to/was able to to talk about ability in the past.
H
Use would/wouldn’t have + past participle in third conditional sentences.
Review
Modals in the past
– You use must have + past participle to say that you believe that something was true in the past. You usually believe it was true because of something you know.
It must have taken you ages to write that report. (I know it was a very long report.)
It must have rained last night. (The ground is wet.)
– You use can’t/couldn’t have + past participle to say that you believe that something was impossible in the past. You usually believe it was impossible because of something you know.
He can’t have come home very late. (I was still awake when he came back.)
He couldn’t have committed the murder. (He was somewhere else at the time.)
– You use had to and didn’t have to to talk about things that were or weren’t necessary in the past.
I had to leave at ten. (I had another meeting to get to.)
I didn’t have to wear a uniform at school. (The school rules didn’t require it.)
– You use needn’t have + past participle to say that something wasn’t necessary in the past but that it happened anyway.
You needn’t have sent me the roses. (It wasn’t necessary but I’m very grateful.)
– You use should/shouldn’t have + past participle to say that something was the right or wrong thing to do in the past.
You should have gone home. (It was the right thing to do but you didn’t go.)
He shouldn’t have said that. (It was a bad thing to do but he did it.)
– You use might/could have + past participle to say that something was a possibility in the past.
I think that might have been the postman. (I’m not sure but it’s possible.)
Jane could have sent me the chocolates. (It’s possible it was Jane who sent them.)
– You use could/couldn’t and was/wasn’t able to to talk about ability in the past.
I could/was able to read when I was four.
He couldn’t/wasn’t able to swim till he was ten.
– You use would/wouldn’t have + past participle in third conditional sentences.
Tim would have helped you if he’d been here.
(But he wasn’t here so he didn’t.)
I wouldn’t have gone out if I’d known it was raining.
(But I did go out.)
