PERFECT MODALS 2

THESE are the Forms and Uses of Perfect Modals:

PERFECT MODALS

 ABILITY to have done something but in fact did not : COLUD+ HAVE+ PP

It was a stupid thing to do you COULD HAVE cut yourself

WILLINGNESS to have done something but in fact did not: WOULD + HAVE+ PP

I WOULD HAVE gone to the party, but I was too busy

PROBABILITY in the past MAY/ MIGHT + HAVE+ PP

Mary MAY/MIGHT HAVE taken the wrong bus

CERTAINTY that something didn't happen: COULD NOT+HAVE+ PP

Eric COULDN'T HAVE broken the vase. He wasn't at home

CERTAINLY something happened : MUST + HAVE +PP

I heard you've been to Scotland. That MUST HAVE been interesting

CRITICISM or REGRET after an event : SHOULD / OUHGT TO + HAVE +PP

You SHOULD/OUGHT TO HAVE warned me earlier

I SHOULDN'T HAVE eaten so much

SUMMARY:

PERFECT MODALS

These notes are devoted to Modal perfects. If you have any doubt ask at the email or in class, (for those lucky students) i hope you find it useful.

Perfect Modal Verbs Bachillerato

from

ABBA IS PERFECT TO LEARN PERFECT MODALS

Some years ago, I listened this song and I realised that it was full of Perfect modals, so I started to use it with my advanced level students; and believe it was great!!
(Esta canción de ABBA es perfecta para los alumnos de nivel avanzado, verán claramente la estructura de estos vervos ya que la canción repite esta construcción, constantemente.)

ABBA's song "The Day Before You Came"


Must have left my house at eight, because I always do
My train, I'm certain, left the station just when it was due
I must have read the morning paper going into town
And having gotten through the editorial, no doubt I must have frowned
I must have made my desk around a quarter after nine
With letters to be read, and heaps of papers waiting to be signed
I must have gone to lunch at half past twelve or so
The usual place, the usual bunch
And still on top of this I'm pretty sure it must have rained
The day before you came


I must have lit my seventh cigarette at half past two
And at the time I never even noticed I was blue
I must have kept on dragging through the business of the day
Without really knowing anything, I hid a part of me away
At five I must have left, there's no exception to the rule
A matter of routine, I've done it ever since I finished school
The train back home again
Undoubtedly I must have read the evening paper then
Oh yes, I'm sure my life was well within it's usual frame
The day before you came


Must have opened my front door at eight o'clock or so
And stopped along the way to buy some Chinese food to go
I'm sure I had my dinner watching something on TV
There's not, I think, a single episode of Dallas that I didn't see
I must have gone to bed around a quarter after ten
I need a lot of sleep, and so I like to be in bed by then
I must have read a while
The latest one by Marilyn French or something in that style
It's funny, but I had no sense of living without aim
The day before you came

And turning out the light
I must have yawned and cuddled up for yet another night
And rattling on the roof I must have heard the sound of rain
The day before you came