Material Unit 3
Completion requirements
1. Modal verbs
1.4. Modal perfects
We can use some modal verbs with have + past participle to talk about past events
must have + past participle
- We use must have + past participle to express a certainty or to make a logical deduction about the past.
- Danny must have felt disappointed when he didn't win the competition.
can't have + past participle
- We use can't have + pan participle to express an impossibility in the past..
- She can't have passed the exam - she didn't study at all!
- It can't have been Felipe - he was at home all evening.
might / may / could have+ past participle
- We use might, may or could have + past participle to express a possibility in the past.
- He might have gone / may have gone / could have gone to the cinema.
- They might not have received / may not have received our message about the party.
could have + pest participle
- We also use could have + past participle to suggest an alternative past action, even though it is now too late.
- You could have told me about last night's concert - you Know I love jazz.
- The government could have acted more quickly.
should have + past participle
- We use should have + past participle when we wish something had happened in the past (but it didn't happen).
- Linda should have made more friends.
- We should have gone to see that film while it was still on at the local cinema.
shouldn't have + past participle
- We use shouldn't have + past participle when we wish something had not happened in the past (but it did happen).
- Linda shouldn't have talked so much.
- I shouldn't have stayed out so late last nigh.