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Year 10 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.Complete with the verb "finish" in the right form. Write two words. She looks relieved, so she must ____ her examinations.

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

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

  3. 3.Match each past modal to what the speaker is doing with it.

    • must have gone
    • might have gone
    • should have gone
    • could have gone
    • cannot have gone
    • concluding, with near certainty
    • criticising the choice that was made
    • ruling it out altogether
    • naming a chance that was never taken
    • guessing, with real doubt

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

    Groups: About the past · About now or later

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

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

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

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

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

  7. 7.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.

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

Answer key — Year 10 English — Modals in the past

  1. 1. have finished
  2. 2. b) He should have started earlier.
  3. 3. must have gone → concluding, with near certainty; might have gone → guessing, with real doubt; should have gone → criticising the choice that was made; could have gone → naming a chance that was never taken; cannot have gone → ruling it out altogether
  4. 4. 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
  5. 5. d) It must have rained.
  6. 6. 1. We 2. should have 3. left 4. an hour 5. earlier.
  7. 7. have
  8. 8. should have apologised