Lesson 23 · Lesson guide
Past Modals: Should Have, Could Have, Must Have
Hello, my dear student!
Hello! In Lessons 21 and 22 you used modals for the present: you should rest, it must be flu. Today we look back at the past with modal + have + past participle.
“I should have gone to the doctor earlier” is a regret about a past mistake. “It could have been worse” is a possibility that did not happen. And “He must have eaten something bad” is a conclusion about the past from the evidence.
You need these forms in Speaking Part 2 (“Describe a mistake you made”), in Listening, where speakers explain what went wrong, and in Task 2 essays, when you give examples from the past.
See you in the exercises,Your teacher
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Modal + have + past participle
Regret
should have / shouldn’t have
should have done = you didn’t do it, and that was a mistake. shouldn’t have done = you did it, and that was a mistake.
- I should have gone to the doctor earlier.
- I shouldn’t have eaten so much cake.
Conclusion
must have / might have / can’t have
A conclusion about the past: sure (must have), possible (might / may / could have), impossible (can’t / couldn’t have).
- He must have eaten something bad.
- She might have missed the bus.
- He can’t have caught it at work.
Didn’t happen
could have
It was possible, but it did not happen. Often: It could have been worse.
- The accident could have been much worse.
- You could have asked me for help!
Remember!
should have = a good idea you didn’t follow. must have = sure it happened. could have = possible, but it didn’t happen.
Short forms you will hear
should’ve
should have
could’ve
could have
must’ve
must have
shouldn’t have
should not have
Common mistakes
Not: I should have went to bed earlier.Say: I should have gone to bed earlier.
have + past participle (gone, not went).
Not: He mustn’t have eaten the fish.Say: He can’t have eaten the fish.
Sure it didn’t happen → can’t have.
Not: You should see a doctor yesterday.Say: You should have seen a doctor yesterday.
Past → should have + past participle.
Check yourself
“I should have rested.” Did I rest?
“It could have been worse.” Was it worse?
Now it’s your turn!
8 short parts, each a little harder than the one before. Take your time: mistakes are how we learn.
— Your teacher