Zusammenfassung der Ressource
MODALS OF
DEDUCTION
- in Present
- We use MUST when we feel sure
that something is true because
there’s very strong evidence.
- He must live near here
because he comes to
work on foot. We don’t
know where he lives but
we’re sure it’s not far
away.
- We use might, may or could to say
that we think something is possible
but we’re not sure.
- Did you hear that? I think there might be a
burglar downstairs. She’s not sure there’s a
burglar but she thinks it’s possible. We’ll try
to get there early but we may arrive late if
there’s a lot of traffic.
- We use can’t when we feel
sure something is not true.
- It can’t be far away now. We’ve been driving
for hours. Where’s the map? Really? He has
to work on Christmas Day? He can’t feel very
happy about that.
- 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 use deduction the
form is MODAL +
have + past participle
- Must have +
past participle
- We use ‘must have + past
participle’ when we are
quite sure about
something.
- You must have been very pleased when
you received the results of your exams.
He must have forgotten his phone at
home again.
- Might have/may
have/could have + past
participle
- We use ‘might have/may
have/could have + past
participle’ when we are not sure
about something but we think
it was possible.
- He was supposed to be here an
hour ago but he could have been
stuck in a traffic jam. 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
- We use ‘can’t have +
past participle’ for
things that we are sure
did not happen in the
past.
- 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.
- We use modal verbs to say how sure
we are about something.