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Past Modal Verbs

The document discusses past modal verbs which are used to speculate or make guesses about past events based on available evidence. There are three main types of past modal verbs: must is used when we are almost certain something happened, can't/couldn't when we are almost certain something did not happen, and might/may/could when something is possible but uncertain. Past modal verbs can also be used in the passive form or continuous form to talk about past possibilities.

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321 views1 page

Past Modal Verbs

The document discusses past modal verbs which are used to speculate or make guesses about past events based on available evidence. There are three main types of past modal verbs: must is used when we are almost certain something happened, can't/couldn't when we are almost certain something did not happen, and might/may/could when something is possible but uncertain. Past modal verbs can also be used in the passive form or continuous form to talk about past possibilities.

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Crissy85
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PAST MODAL VERBS

We use past modals of probability to speculate and make guesses based on our knowledge
of the situation, or the evidence available.

form: modal verb + perfect infinitive 

a) MUST = when we are almost certain that something happened 

 He`s late. He  must have missed  the train. 

b) CAN’T/COULDN’T = when we are almost certain that something didn’t happen

 He left early so he  can`t have enjoyed  the party very much.

MIGHT/MAY/COULD = when we think it is possible that something happened or didn`t


happen

 He`s very late. He  might not have known  what time to come.

Past modals can also be used in passive form and continuous form:

a) passive form: MODAL VERB + PASSIVE PERFECT INFINITIVE 


(have been + Past Participle)

 He looked angry – he  might have been insulted  by his comments.

b) continuous form: MODAL VERB + CONTINUOUS PERFECT INFINITIVE 


(have been+ Present Participle) 

 The light was on. He  could have been working  late.

MIND THE TRAP, page 97 (rewrite this part in your notebooks)

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