Grammar: Modals of deduction

MUST I’m sure

He owns four apartments.

He must be wealthy.
 Grammar: Modals of deduction
MUST I’m sure

My cat hasn’t eaten in two days.

He must be sick.
 Grammar: Modals of deduction

Karen got married yesterday.

She can’t be at the office now.
CAN’T I’m sure not
 Grammar: Modals of deduction
MUST I’m sure

COULD
MAY maybe

MIGHT My teacher speaks English fluently.

He might be from London.
CAN’T I’m sure not
 Grammar: Modals of deduction
MUST I’m sure

COULD
MAY maybe

MIGHT I sometimes run into Caroline in

the market.
CAN’T I’m sure not She may live in the neighborhood.
 Grammar: Past modals of deduction
To talk about possibility in the past,
we use modal + have + past participle:

When we think something was possible, but we are not sure,

we use may have, might have or could have + past participle.

Who knew the code for the alarm?

• Amy may have known it.
• Amy could have known it.
• Amy might have known it.
 Grammar: Past modals of deduction
When we think something was possibly not true,
we use may not have or might not have + past participle.

Perhaps Amy used the code.

She may not have known it.

She might not have known it.
(= It's possible that she didn't know it.)
 Grammar: Past modals of deduction
When we feel certain that something was true,
we use must have + past participle.

Amy lived in the house.

She must have known the code.
(= I'm certain she knew it.)
Grammar: Past modals of deduction
The opposite of must have + past participle is
can’t / couldn't + have + past participle,
NOT mustn't have + past participle.

Ben had never been to the house.

He can't have known the code.

He couldn't have known the code.
NOT He mustn't have known the code.
(= I'm sure he didn’t know it.)
Let’s practice!
 Grammar: Modals of deduction
On a school trip to London, two boys became separated from their teacher and
classmates for several hours.
Complete what the other students said, using the phrases in the box.

must have got off

can’t have listened

Grammar: Modals of deduction

may have disappeared

must have been

must have switched off

may have thought

could have left

 Grammar: Modals of deduction
Circle the correct verbs in the dialogues.

1.
Sonny: I haven't got my sunglasses.
I know I had them when we
came out!

Cheryl: You (1) must have / couldn’t

have left them on the beach.
Shall we go and look for them?
Grammar: Modals of deduction

2.
Carlo: Benny asked me to lend him
£20, but I didn't have enough
money. I was so embarrassed.

Suzy: He (2) might not have /

may have realised that you left
your wallet at home.
 Grammar: Modals of deduction
Della: Did you see Emma got full marks
in the chemistry exam?

Freya: Really? She (3) must have /

may have worked incredibly hard.

Della: Yes. Or she (4) might have /

couldn't have cheated.

Freya: I don't believe that. She's such an

honest person - she
(5) can't have / may not have
done anything dishonest.
 Grammar: Modals of deduction
Rewrite the sentences using a past modal of deduction. There is more than one correct
answer for some of the sentences.

1. Perhaps Andy forgot to charge his phone.

may/might/could have forgotten to charge his phone

• Andy ____________________________________________.

2. We are sure that Dan texted his parents last night.

• must have texted his parents last night

Dan _________________________________.

3. It's not possible that Adrienne forgot to book tickets for the film.

• can’t have forgotten to book tickets for the film

Adrienne________________________________________.
 Grammar: Past modals of deduction

Tick (✔) the correct sentences. Correct the mistakes.

 Grammar: Past modals of deduction
Complete the sentences with one of the phrases in the box and the correct form of the
verb in brackets. Use some of the phrases twice.
 Grammar: Past modals of deduction
Choose the correct words to complete the sentences
Grammar: Past modals of deduction