Modal Verbs in the Past

MODAL

MEANING/USE

EXAMPLE

CAN'T HAVE

Deduction

She can't have seen that film.

COULD HAVE

Possibility in the past

Annoyance

I could have married him.

You could have told me!

COULD N'T HAVE

Impossibility in the past

She couldn't have taken your dress because she didn't wear your size.

MAY HAVE/ MAY NOT HAVE

Possibility in the past

Concession (ustępstwo)

He may not have sold it yet.

MIGHT HAVE

Possibility in the past

Concession (ustępstwo)

Annoyance

You might have told me!

She might have been trying to phone me.

MIGHT NOT HAVE

Possibility in the past

Concession (ustępstwo)

She might not have seen it.

MUST HAVE

Deduction in the past

Necessity in the past

You must have left your camera in the museum.

MUSN'T HAVE

Necessity in the past

She musn't have been there before or she won't get a free ticket.

SHALL/ SHAN'T HAVE

prediction

He shall have come by the evening.

SHOULD HAVE/ SHOULDN'T HAVE

OUGHT TO HAVE/ OUGHTN' T TO HAVE

Advice in the past

Expressing doubt about the past

She should have/ ought to have been there hours ago.

WILL HAVE/ WON'T HAVE

Prediction

Predicting in the past

He will have got here by now.

WOULD HAVE/ WOULDN'T HAVE

Events in the past which didn't happen

I wouldn't have asked you if I had known about it.