MODAL PERFECTS

MODAL+”HAVE”+PAST PARTICIPLE

They refer to the past.

1• MAY HAVE / MIGHT HAVE (positive and negative) → It is possible that

something happened or didn’t happen in the past.

Examples:

-

You may have lost your keys at work (= perhaps you left them at work.)

-

They might not have heard the news (= maybe they didn’t hear the news.)

2.• COULD HAVE → An opportunity that we didn’t take or a possible result that didn’t

happen.

Examples:

-

We could have gone somewhere but we were too tired.

-

You were lucky. You could have caused an accident.

3• MUST HAVE → Deductions about the past. We are sure that something happened or

we see it as logically true.

Examples:

-

My watch says it’s only ten past five. It must have stopped.

-

The lights were on. He must have been at home (= I’m sure he was at home.)

4• COULDN’T HAVE → We are sure that something didn’t happen or we see it as

logically impossible.

Example:

-

He only spent five minutes in the job. He couldn’t have done it properly (= it’s

impossible that he did it properly.)

5• SHOULD HAVE / OUGHT TO HAVE → We were expected to do something but we

didn’t or we were advised to do something but we didn’t follow the advice.

Example:

-

He hurt her feelings. He should have talked to her (= he was expected to do it

but he didn’t.)

-

You failed the history test. You ought to have studied harder (= I advised you to

do it but you didn’t.)

6 SHOULDN’T HAVE → Something wasn’t the best thing to do but we did it or we

were advised not to do something but we did it anyway.

Example:

-

He hurt her feelings. He shouldn’t have said such cruel words to her (= it was

not the best thing to do.)

-

You failed the history test. You shouldn’t have been so confident that you would

pass (= I advised you not to be so confident but you were.)

7• NEEDN’T HAVE → Something that we did but later we realised it was unnecessary.

Example:

-

After driving at top speed, Laura arrived half and hour early. She needn’t have

hurried.

...