(Total English book, Unit 10

Modals (and verbs with similar meanings)

Modals of deduction (past)

• must have (been): certain
  • The crash must have been terrifying
• might have (been): possibility
  • I might have left my key in the car
  • He might be hungry: that would explain him crying
  • They maight have found the gold
    
• can’t have / couldn’t have (been):  impossibility
  • He can’t have finished already!
  • They couldn’t have come this far
  • He can’t be haapy about theresults of his exam: he normally does much better
    
• could have / may have (been): possibility
  • We could have been left there for ages
  • There may have been a good reason for the delay, but we were angry nevertheless
• will have been: we are fairly certain
  • That will have been Jim. He always call at this time

He must (+) / may-might-can-could (+-)/ can’t(-) be a tourist
He must (+) / may-might-can-could (+-)/ can’t(-) have been a touristUses of would