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MODALS OF
DEDUCTIONS
- Some modal verbs can be used to express probability in
the present and past.
- Must, can't: expressing
present probability
- We use
must to
express
that we feel
sure that
something
is true.
- The team is playing really
well today; they must win.
- The team is playing really
well today; they must win.
- We use can't
to say we
are sure that
something is
impossible.
- She can't be so ill
– I saw her playing
volleyball yesterday.
- She can't be so ill
– I saw her playing
volleyball yesterday.
- We use
must to
express
that we feel
sure that
something
is true.
- We use might, may or
could
- To say that we think
something is possible but we’re
not sure.
- They may be arriving tomorrow. He
might be away on holiday at the
moment. He could be away on holiday.
He might get the job.
- The negative of may is
may not. The negative of
might is might not
- He might not
get the job. I
may not pass
the exam. I
might not go
to the match
tomorrow.
- He might not
get the job. I
may not pass
the exam. I
might not go
to the match
tomorrow.
- To say that we think
something is possible but we’re
not sure.
- In
Present
- in
Past
- In the same way that we use modal verbs to say how
certain we are about things in the present we can also use
them to speculate about the past.
- we are using
deduction the form is
MODAL + have +past
participle
- Must have + past participle
- You must have been very
pleased when you received
the results of your exams.
- You must have been very
pleased when you received
the results of your exams.
- Might have/may have/could
have + past participle
- He may have said he was coming but I
can’t really remember. I wasn’t listening. I
might have been here when I was a child
but I can’t really remember.
- He may have said he was coming but I
can’t really remember. I wasn’t listening. I
might have been here when I was a child
but I can’t really remember.
- Can’t have + past participle
- You can’t have seen him this
morning. He was with me all the
time. She can’t have liked the
show. She hates musicals.
- You can’t have seen him this
morning. He was with me all the
time. She can’t have liked the
show. She hates musicals.
- Must have + past participle
- we are using
deduction the form is
MODAL + have +past
participle
- In the same way that we use modal verbs to say how
certain we are about things in the present we can also use
them to speculate about the past.
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