Grammar. Past modals of deduction

Grammar

Past modals of deduction

Page 144

Complete the rule with words from the box.

• past actions
• past participle

• make deductions
• modal verb

Use _____ + have + _____ to _____ or guesses about ______ or states.

One of the largest eruptions in Earth's history could have eliminated humans. It was the eruption of Sumatra's Mount Toba, which could have potentially begun a massive disruption in the world's climate. However, scientists have found that the event might not have been so apocalyptic, and that it may have facilitated humanity's migration out of Africa to the rest of the world.

Complete the rule with words from the box. (ANSWER KEY)

• past actions
• past participle

• make deductions
• modal verb

Use modal verb + have + past participle to make deductions or guesses about past actions or states.

One of the largest eruptions in Earth's history could have eliminated humans. It was the eruption of Sumatra's Mount Toba, which could have potentially begun a massive disruption in the world's climate. However, scientists have found that the event might not have been so apocalyptic, and that it may have facilitated humanity's migration out of Africa to the rest of the world.

Complete the rule with words from the box.

• modal verb
• verb(-ing)

• deductions
• have

• been
• past continuous actions

Use _____ + _____+ _____+ ______ to make ______ about ______ or states.

According to Jai Betala, Trump must have been making decisions based on Stephen King. All that fiction he's been calling science.

Complete the rule with words from the box. (ANSWER KEY)

• deductions
• have

• modal verb
• verb(-ing)

• been
• past continuous actions

Use modal verb + have + been + verb(-ing) to make deductions about past continuous actions or states.

According to Jai Betala, Trump must have been making decisions based on Stephen King. All that fiction he's been calling science.

Complete the rule with words from the box.

• past participle

• have
• modal verb

• passive
• past

• been
• deductions

Use _____ + _____+ _____+ ______ for ______ about the _____ using the _____.

This last will can't have been written in Japan because in that country you have to use your own handwriting, not a computer.

Complete the rule with words from the box. (ANSWER KEY)

• past participle

• have
• modal verb

• passive
• past

• been
• deductions

Use modal verb + have + been + past participle for deductions about the past using the passive.

This last will can't have been written in Japan because in that country you have to use your own handwriting, not a computer.

Complete the rule with words from the box.

• have
• must

• true

• almost certain
• evidence

_____ _____: You are _____ that something was _____, based on the _____.

According to Sean Carroll, if everything in the universe evolves toward increasing disorder, it must have begun in an exquisitely ordered organization.

Complete the rule with words from the box. (ANSWER KEY)

• have
• must

• true

• almost certain
• evidence

must have: You are almost certain that something was true, based on the evidence.

According to Sean Carroll, if everything in the universe evolves toward increasing disorder, it must have begun in an exquisitely ordered organization.

Complete the rule with words from the box.

• have
• may

• might
• possible

• true

• could
• evidence

_____ / _____ / _____ + _____: You think it is _____ that something was _____, based on the _____.

The U.S. warned Russia about a possible terrorist attack before the mass shooting in Moscow. However, very little could have been done to prevent the Moscow shooting, since it involved a lot of people using very powerful weapons in a small space.

Complete the rule with words from the box. (ANSWER KEY)

• have
• may

• might
• possible

• true

• could
• evidence

Might / could / may + have: You think it is possible that something was true, based on the evidence.

The U.S. warned Russia about a possible terrorist attack before the mass shooting in Moscow. However, very little could have been done to prevent the Moscow shooting, since it involved a lot of people using very powerful weapons in a small space.

Complete the rule with words from the box.

• couldn't
• evidence

• have
• not true

• almost certain
• can't

_____ / _____ + _____: You are _____ something was _____ or was impossible, based on the ______.

Certainly it can't have been the script of 'Madame Web' that captured the attention of Dakota Johnson. Almost none of the dialogue ever sounds like a human being wrote it, and the story is a mix of superhero movie cliches and absolute absurdity.

Complete the rule with words from the box. (ANSWER KEY)

• couldn't
• evidence

• have
• not true

• almost certain
• can't

Couldn't / Can't + have: You are almost certain something was not true or was impossible, based on the evidence.

Certainly it can't have been the script of 'Madame Web' that captured the attention of Dakota Johnson. Almost none of the dialogue ever sounds like a human being wrote it, and the story is a mix of superhero movie cliches and absolute absurdity.

Complete the rule with words from the box.

• past participle

• have

• other modals

Note: _____ + _____ + ______

• When fans asked Megan Fox what advice she would give to a 22-year-old version of herself, she responded, "I should have gone through a 'Leonardo DiCaprio phase'. I would have had more fun if I had dated younger partners."
• The 90-year-old actor Richard Chamberlain would have been a happier person being out of the closet and being free. But he was a working actor in the puritanical United States; that was most important for him.

Complete the rule with words from the box. (ANSWER KEY)

• past participle

• have

• other modals

Note: other modals + have + past participle

• When fans asked Megan Fox what advice she would give to a 22-year-old version of herself, she responded, "I should have gone through a 'Leonardo DiCaprio phase'. I would have had more fun if I had dated younger partners."
• The 90-year-old actor Richard Chamberlain would have been a happier person being out of the closet and being free. But he was a working actor in the puritanical United States; that was most important for him.