【B1-B2-Grammar】11 Conditionals zero, first and second-条件：零、第一和第二

【B1-B2-Grammar】11 Modals- deductions about the past-情态动词：对过去的推论

Do you know how to use modal verbs to show how certain you are about past events? Test what you know with interactive exercises and read the explanation to help you.您知道如何使用情态动词来表明您对过去事件的确定程度吗？通过互动练习测试您所掌握的知识，并阅读说明来帮助您。

Look at these examples to see how must, might, may, could, can’t and couldn’t are used in the past.查看这些示例，了解过去如何使用“must”、“might”、“may”、“could”、“can’t”和“couldn’t”。

An earthquake? That must have been terrifying! 地震？那一定很恐怖吧！
We don’t know for sure that Alex broke the coffee table. It might have been the dog. 我们不确定亚历克斯是否打破了咖啡桌。可能是那只狗。
How did she fail that exam? She can’t have studied very much. 那次考试她怎么没及格呢？她不可能学得太多。

Try this exercise to test your grammar.尝试这个练习来测试你的语法。

Grammar test 1-语法测试1

Modals – deductions about the past: 1

Choose the correct option to complete the sentences.

• Question

1. Why were there no buses yesterday? Maybe it was the snow or they _____ been on strike.
   must have
   might have
   couldn’t have
2. You _____ seen her, surely! She was standing right in front of you.
   must have
   might have
   can’t have
3. Let’s ask at reception to see if they have your keys. Someone _____ found them.
   must have
   might have
   can’t have
4. He _____ gone to Russia. He didn’t have a passport.
   must have
   might have
   couldn’t have
5. I explained the homework but she did the wrong page. She _____ misunderstood me.
   must have
   may have
   can’t have
6. Oh no! My phone’s not in my bag. I _____ left it at home.
   must have
   can have
   couldn’t have
7. It is still a mystery how the robber gained access to the bank. Police are investigating whether the suspect _____ known one of the employees.
   must have
   may have
   couldn’t have
8. I _____ left my wallet in the restaurant. I paid for the taxi home afterwards.
   must have
   could have
   can’t have

• Answer

1. Why were there no buses yesterday? Maybe it was the snow or they _____ been on strike.
   must have
   ✔might have
   couldn’t have
2. You _____ seen her, surely! She was standing right in front of you.
   ✔must have
   might have
   can’t have
3. Let’s ask at reception to see if they have your keys. Someone _____ found them.
   must have
   ✔might have
   can’t have
4. He _____ gone to Russia. He didn’t have a passport.
   must have
   might have
   ✔couldn’t have
5. I explained the homework but she did the wrong page. She _____ misunderstood me.
   ✔must have
   may have
   can’t have
6. Oh no! My phone’s not in my bag. I _____ left it at home.
   ✔must have
   can have
   couldn’t have
7. It is still a mystery how the robber gained access to the bank. Police are investigating whether the suspect _____ known one of the employees.
   must have
   ✔may have
   couldn’t have
8. I _____ left my wallet in the restaurant. I paid for the taxi home afterwards.
   must have
   could have
   ✔can’t have

Read the explanation to learn more.阅读说明以了解更多信息。

Grammar explanation-语法解释

We can use modal verbs for deduction – guessing if something is true using the available information. The modal verb we choose shows how certain we are about the possibility. This page focuses on making deductions about the past.我们可以使用情态动词进行演绎——利用现有信息猜测某件事是否属实。我们选择的情态动词表明我们对这种可能性有多么确定。本页重点是对过去进行推论。

must have-一定有

We use must have + past participle when we feel sure about what happened.当我们确定发生了什么时，我们使用 must have + 过去分词。

Who told the newspapers about the prime minister’s plans? It must have been someone close to him. 谁向报纸透露了首相的计划？一定是他身边的某个人。
The thief must have had a key. The door was locked and nothing was broken. 小偷一定有钥匙。门锁着，什么也没损坏。
Oh, good! We’ve got milk. Mo must have bought some yesterday. 噢，很好！我们有牛奶。莫昨天一定买了一些。

might have / may have-可能有/可能有

We can use might have or may have + past participle when we think it’s possible that something happened. 当我们认为某件事可能发生时，我们可以使用 might have 或 may have + 过去分词。

I think I might have left the air conditioning on. Please can you check? 我想我可能没开空调。请问你能检查一下吗？
Police think the suspect may have left the country using a fake passport. 警方认为嫌疑人可能使用假护照离开该国。

May have is more formal than might have. Could have is also possible in this context but less common.May have 比 might have 更正式。在这种情况下，could have 也是可能的，但不太常见。

can’t have / couldn’t have-不能拥有/不能拥有

We use can’t have and couldn’t have + past participle when we think it’s not possible that something happened.当我们认为某件事不可能发生时，我们使用can’t have 和couldn’t have + 过去分词。

She can’t have driven there. Her car keys are still here. 她不可能开车去那里。她的车钥匙还在这里。
I thought I saw Adnan this morning but it couldn’t have been him – he’s in Greece this week. 我以为我今天早上看到了阿德南，但那不可能是他——他这周在希腊。

Do this exercise to test your grammar again.做这个练习来再次测试你的语法。

Grammar test 2-语法测试2

Modals – deductions about the past: 2

Choose the correct option to complete the sentences.

• Question

1. Where’s Clare? Her bag’s here and her computer’s still on so she _____ gone home.
   must have
   might have
   can’t have
2. I can’t remember my password! But I _____ written it in my notebook as sometimes I do that.
   must have
   may have
   couldn’t have
3. He wasn’t answering the phone before. Maybe he went to the shop or he _____ been in the shower.
   must have
   might have
   couldn’t have
4. Sorry, I don’t know if she’s here or not. She was feeling ill so she _____ gone home.
   must have
   might have
   can’t have
5. She _____ cleaned the whole house on her own in two hours. She must have had some help.
   must have
   might have
   can’t have
6. Wow! Have you finished all that already? You _____ been hungry!
   must have
   may have
   can’t have
7. He _____ known about it when I saw him. I’m sure he would have told me.
   must have
   might have
   couldn’t have
8. Oh, great! His car’s here. He _____ come home earlier than planned.
   must have
   might have
   can have

• Answer

1. Where’s Clare? Her bag’s here and her computer’s still on so she _____ gone home.
   must have
   might have
   ✔can’t have
2. I can’t remember my password! But I _____ written it in my notebook as sometimes I do that.
   must have
   ✔may have
   couldn’t have
3. He wasn’t answering the phone before. Maybe he went to the shop or he _____ been in the shower.
   must have
   ✔might have
   couldn’t have
4. Sorry, I don’t know if she’s here or not. She was feeling ill so she _____ gone home.
   must have
   ✔might have
   can’t have
5. She _____ cleaned the whole house on her own in two hours. She must have had some help.
   must have
   might have
   ✔can’t have
6. Wow! Have you finished all that already? You _____ been hungry!
   ✔must have
   may have
   can’t have
7. He _____ known about it when I saw him. I’m sure he would have told me.
   must have
   might have
   ✔couldn’t have
8. Oh, great! His car’s here. He _____ come home earlier than planned.
   ✔must have
   might have
   can have