Past modals with have + verb in past participle
Some past modals can be formed by using have + the past participle of the main verb immediately
after the modal.
Subject
Modal verb
Have
Past
participle
Listened
Have
Won
should
I
could
would
Gone
However, since modals express possibility, intention, obligation, etc., they do not always indicate a
definite tense. Therefore, when using past modals with have, special meanings need to be
considered.
Compare the two sentences
I should go to the funeral.
I should have gone to the funeral.
(I feel an obligation to go--later.)
(I didn't go. Now I regret it.)
John might take Karen to the airport.
John might have taken Karen to the airport.
(It's a future possibility.)
(He may be on his way there now.)
Case 1
Should have
Ought to have
Could have
Might have
Verb in past
participle
Were good ideas in the past but did not happen
make a sense of regret or blame.
I should have called him
You ought to have taken that job
You might have asked for a raise
She could have been a fitness coach by now.
Case 2
May have
Might have
Could have
Verb in past
participle
Speculation about a past situation; we think something was possible but we aren’t sure.
 Fact: he didn’t come to the meeting
 Speculation: he may have got into a traffic jam.
 Fact: she speaks very good Spanish.
 Speculation: she might have lived in Spain for some time.
 The thieves might have escaped by car but we can’t be sure.
 He should be here by now. He may have been delayed by a traffic jam or something.
 I can’t find my purse. I could have left it in the supermarket but I just don’t know.
Case 3
Must have
Had to have
Verb in past
participle
We are almost sure about our conclusion.
He must have traveled a lot.
This event had to have influenced his profits.
 You must have been delighted when you heard you’d won the lottery.
 The thieves must have come in through the window. Look – it’s still open.
 Oh no! Where’s my car? Someone must have stolen it!
Case 4
can’t have
Verb in past
participle
We feel sure something didn’t happen in the past.
I thought I saw John in town this morning but it can’t have been him,he’s in Greece this week.
I can’t have left it in the supermarket, I had it on the bus on the way home.
You can’t have read the instructions properly. They’re perfectly clear.
Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IWLjWmgmgcE
Practice:
https://learnenglish.britishcouncil.org/en/grammar-reference/modals-deduction-past (ejercicios al final
de la página)
http://www.autoenglish.org/modalverbs/pastmodalsdeduction.htm
http://www.tolearnenglish.com/exercises/exercise-english-2/exercise-english-53195.php
(Digitar: verbo modal + have + verbo en pasado participio)