Joy English · Livello C1 · Verbi modalijoy-english.com

Perfetti modali: fare ipotesi sul passato

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

Scegli la forma corretta

Scegli l'opzione che completa meglio ogni frase.

The lights are off and the door is locked, so they ___ gone home.
- a) needn't have
- b) would have to
- c) must have
- d) can have
That ___ been Kofi you saw at the station; he is in Madrid this week.
- a) must have
- b) can't have
- c) needn't have
- d) should have
I'm not sure where Ana is. She ___ stuck in traffic.
- a) couldn't have been
- b) must have to be
- c) might have been
- d) can't be being
You ___ a taxi; I would have collected you from the airport.
- a) can't have taken
- b) couldn't have taken
- c) mustn't have taken
- d) needn't have taken
The courier said the parcel ___ arrived by Friday, but it hasn't.
- a) should have
- b) must have
- c) can't have
- d) couldn't have
She looked exhausted. She ___ for hours.
- a) must be worked
- b) can have been worked
- c) must have been working
- d) must have worked being
I wonder why Dev didn't answer. He ___ the phone ringing.
- a) can't have been hearing
- b) may not have heard
- c) mustn't hear
- d) might not heard
The bridge ___ built before 1900; the style is far too modern.
- a) must have been
- b) should have been
- c) needn't have been
- d) can't have been

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

c) must haveLe prove rendono la cosa quasi certa, quindi usiamo must have gone.
b) can't haveSiamo sicuri che fosse impossibile, quindi usiamo can't have been.
c) might have beenChi parla è incerto, quindi might have been esprime una possibilità.
d) needn't have takenIl taxi era inutile, quindi needn't have taken è giusto. Le altre opzioni non hanno senso con I would have collected you.
a) should haveShould have arrived esprime un'aspettativa che non si è realizzata.
c) must have been workingUna deduzione logica su un'attività passata più lunga usa must have been + -ing.
b) may not have heardMay not have heard esprime un possibile evento passato. Le altre opzioni sono agrammaticali o illogiche.
d) can't have beenLo stile moderno lo rende impossibile, quindi usiamo can't have been built.

must have seenUna forte deduzione sul passato richiede must have + participio passato.
can't have forgotten / cannot have forgotten / couldn't have forgotten / could not have forgottenSiamo sicuri che non sia successo, quindi can't have forgotten (oppure couldn't have forgotten).
might have fallen / may have fallen / could have fallenUna possibilità sul passato usa might have + participio passato; anche may e could sono corretti.
should have booked / ought to have bookedShould have booked esprime un rimpianto per qualcosa che non abbiamo fatto.
needn't have brought / need not have broughtNeedn't have brought significa che è stato fatto ma era inutile.
must have been waiting / must have waitedUna deduzione su un'attività passata più lunga si esprime al meglio con must have been + -ing; anche must have waited è corretto.
may have been signed / might have been signed / could have been signedIl contratto subisce l'azione, quindi serve il passivo: may have been signed.
can't have caught / cannot have caught / couldn't have caught / could not have caughtIl suo arrivo in ritardo lo rende impossibile, quindi can't have caught è corretto.