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Year 9 English — Modals in the past

Use should have, must have, could have and might have to talk about what happened, or what did not.

Name: ________________________

  1. 1.Rewrite this so that it talks about the past. "You should apologise." Write the three words that replace "should apologise".

  2. 2.Match each piece of evidence to the sentence it best supports.

    • The floor is covered in flour.
    • His shoes are by the door but the house is silent.
    • The form was never sent.
    • We lost by a single run.
    • She should have sent it a week ago.
    • We could have won that match.
    • Somebody must have been baking.
    • He might have fallen asleep.

  3. 3.The pitch is soaked and there is nobody on it. Which sentence draws the most confident conclusion?

    • a) It must have rained.
    • b) It might have rained.
    • c) It could have rained.
    • d) It should have rained.

  4. 4.Every one of the past modals in this skill is built the same way: a modal, then one fixed word, then a past participle. Write that fixed middle word.

  5. 5.Put the cards in order to make one correct sentence.

    • an hour
    • We
    • left
    • earlier.
    • should have

  6. 6.Ravi missed the deadline because he began the work on the last evening. Which sentence says what he ought to have done?

    • a) He might have started earlier.
    • b) He must have started earlier.
    • c) He should have started earlier.
    • d) He could not have started earlier.

  7. 7.Sort each sentence by the time it is talking about.

    Groups: About the past · About now or later

    • She should have seen a doctor.
    • You must be tired after that walk.
    • They might have been at home.
    • You must have been tired after that walk.
    • They might be at home.
    • She should see a doctor.

  8. 8.Sort each sentence by what the speaker is really doing.

    Groups: Concluding — almost certain it happened · Naming a possibility that was never taken · Saying what ought to have been done

    • You could have taken the earlier train.
    • The ground is wet — it must have rained in the night.
    • Her bag is gone, so she must have left already.
    • They should have checked the address before setting out.
    • You should have told me you were unwell.
    • We could have won if the last catch had been held.

Answer key — Year 9 English — Modals in the past

  1. 1. should have apologised
  2. 2. The floor is covered in flour. → Somebody must have been baking.; His shoes are by the door but the house is silent. → He might have fallen asleep.; The form was never sent. → She should have sent it a week ago.; We lost by a single run. → We could have won that match.
  3. 3. a) It must have rained.
  4. 4. have
  5. 5. 1. We 2. should have 3. left 4. an hour 5. earlier.
  6. 6. c) He should have started earlier.
  7. 7. You must have been tired after that walk. → About the past; You must be tired after that walk. → About now or later; She should have seen a doctor. → About the past; She should see a doctor. → About now or later; They might have been at home. → About the past; They might be at home. → About now or later
  8. 8. The ground is wet — it must have rained in the night. → Concluding — almost certain it happened; You could have taken the earlier train. → Naming a possibility that was never taken; You should have told me you were unwell. → Saying what ought to have been done; Her bag is gone, so she must have left already. → Concluding — almost certain it happened; We could have won if the last catch had been held. → Naming a possibility that was never taken; They should have checked the address before setting out. → Saying what ought to have been done