Joy English
Joy English

C1 Grammatica

C1Verbi modali22 min

Perfetti modali: fare ipotesi sul passato

Modal perfects: speculating about the past

Usa must have, can't have, might have e should have per valutare eventi passati con il giusto grado di certezza.

Non possiamo sempre essere sicuri di ciò che è successo nel passato. I Modal verbs + have + past participle ci permettono di mostrare quanto siamo sicuri, o di commentare cose che si sarebbero dovute o non si sarebbero dovute fare. A livello avanzato devi anche combinarli con le forme continue e passive.

SignificatoFormaEsempio
Almost certain (positive)must have + past participleThe lights are off, so they must have gone home.
Almost certain (negative)can't / couldn't have + past participleThat can't have been Kofi; he's in Madrid this week.
Possiblemay / might / could have + past participleThe keys might have fallen out of my pocket.
Possibly notmay not / might not have + past participleHe might not have heard the phone ringing.
Expected but did not happenshould / ought to have + past participleThe parcel should have arrived by Friday.
Unnecessary actionneedn't have + past participleYou needn't have brought so much food.
Longer activitymodal + have been + -ingShe looked exhausted. She must have been working for hours.
Passivemodal + have been + past participleThe contract may have been signed last week.

Nota la differenza tra couldn't have e needn't have. Il primo dice che qualcosa era impossibile (She couldn't have known), mentre il secondo dice che un'azione è stata compiuta ma non era necessaria (You needn't have come). Inoltre, can have normalmente non si usa nelle affermative: scegli invece may, might or could have.

  • The bridge can't have been built before 1900; the style is far too modern.
  • I wonder why Dev did not reply. He may not have seen my message.
  • We should have booked earlier. Now every seat is taken.
  • You needn't have waited; I could have found the way myself.

Esercizio 1 di 2

Scegli la forma corretta

Scegli l'opzione che completa meglio ogni frase.

  1. The lights are off and the door is locked, so they _____ gone home.

  2. That _____ been Kofi you saw at the station; he is in Madrid this week.

  3. I'm not sure where Ana is. She _____ stuck in traffic.

  4. You _____ a taxi; I would have collected you from the airport.

  5. The courier said the parcel _____ arrived by Friday, but it hasn't.

  6. She looked exhausted. She _____ for hours.

  7. I wonder why Dev didn't answer. He _____ the phone ringing.

  8. The bridge _____ built before 1900; the style is far too modern.

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Esercizio 2 di 2

Completa le frasi

Scrivi la forma corretta del perfetto modale dei verbi tra parentesi. La prima parola tra parentesi è il modale da usare.

  1. Her name is on the list, so she (must / see) the email.

  2. He is very reliable; he (can't / forget) the deadline.

  3. My keys are missing. They (might / fall) out of my pocket.

  4. The hotel is now full. We (should / book) earlier.

  5. We have enough food for ten people. We (needn't / bring) so much.

  6. Their coats were soaked. They (must / wait) outside for hours.

  7. Perhaps the contract was signed last week. It (may / sign) last week.

  8. She arrived late, so she (can't / catch) the earlier bus.

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Fonte

Lezione originale di Joy English.

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