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Class 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.Which of these is a spelling mistake rather than a real form of English?

    • a) should have been going
    • b) should have gone
    • c) should of gone
    • d) should not have gone

  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.
    • He might have fallen asleep.
    • We could have won that match.
    • Somebody must have been baking.

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

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

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

    Groups: About the past · About now or later

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

  5. 5.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.

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

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

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

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

Answer key — Class 9 English — Modals in the past

  1. 1. c) should of gone
  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. b) It must have rained.
  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. have
  6. 6. 1. We 2. should have 3. left 4. an hour 5. earlier.
  7. 7. 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
  8. 8. should have apologised