Form
modal + have + past participle (must have, can't have, might / may / could have, should have, would have)
| Affirmative | Negative | Question |
|---|
| He must have forgotten. | She can't have left. / You shouldn't have said that. | Could he have missed the bus? |
Use
- Certain deduction about the past: The ground is wet. It must have rained.
- Impossible in the past: He can't / couldn't have been at home. I saw him at the shop.
- Possibility in the past: He might / may / could have missed the bus.
- Criticism or regret: You should have studied more. I shouldn't have eaten so much.
- Unused possibility: I could have gone to the party, but I was tired.
- Unreal past result: She would have helped you if you had asked.
- Unnecessary action: You needn't have brought a gift.
Watch out
- Use have, never of or has:
should of called → should have called. must has left → must have left. - Use the past participle:
might have went → might have gone. - For past certainty, can't is the opposite of must.
En español
Modal + have + participio habla del pasado: must have = debió de (seguro), can't have = no pudo haber, might have = pudo haber (quizá), should have = debería haber (crítica o arrepentimiento), could have = podría haber (no lo hizo).
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