Modal Verbs of probability

Question	Answer
WHAT CAN MODAL VERBS OF PROBABILITY EXPRESS? OR BEEN USED FOR?	Express: ability, obligation, permission or request. Probability, or how certain a situation is.
MUST	Logically probable
CAN'T	Logically improbable
We don't have all the facts so we're not absolutely sure, but we're pretty certain.	- He must be exhausted. He hasn't slept for 24 hours! - Sue can't have a ten year old daughter! She is only 24!
May/Might/Could express probability in present or future +Negative (couldn't is not so common)	- He might be lost - They may be stuck in traffic - You could win the lottery this week, who knows?! - I might not be able to come tonight. I might have to work late.
Continous infinitive is formed with BE + ING.	- You must be joking! - They can't still be eating! - I could be sitting on a beach right now
Asking	Do you think...? is the common way to ask about possibilities.
Probability in past Perfect infinitive	have + past participle - He must have caught a later train. - They might have lost our phone number.
How to express degrees of posibility in past	- must have been - can't have told - may have got - could have moved
continuous infinitive	have + been + ing - She must have been joking! - He could have been lying to you.

Resource summary

	Created by Tania Hernández over 4 years ago