34899 the modals in the perfect tense

THE MODALS IN PERFECT!! (modal+have+past participle) COULD+ have +Past Participle expresses something that could have been done in the past Eg You were acting very clumsily at the party! You could have broken aunt’s Chinese vase! MAY/MIGHT+have +Past participle expresses something that might have happened in the past, that there was a possibility for it to happen if something was different Eg Mrs Jones might have got wet if we hadn’t given her our umbrella yesterday SHOULD+have+Past Participle the reader usually uses it when he wants to criticize a past action or express that something was or wasn’t a good idea and should have been done in a different way Eg You shouldn’t have told her that! I told you it was a secret! WOULD+have+Past Participle expresses a past situation/probability if something happened in the past Eg This building wouldn’t have fallen if the builder had been more experienced MUST +have+Past Participle We use it when we want to make a positive conclusion in the past Eg He must have practiced hard for the exams He looks exhausted CAN’T +have+Past Participle We use it when we want to make a negative conclusion in the past Eg They can’t have been in the house yesterday The lights weren’t on