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ESL forum > Ask for help > CONFUSED ABOUT MODALS    

CONFUSED ABOUT MODALS



gurbetyolcusu
Albania

CONFUSED ABOUT MODALS
 
Last week I thought modals to my ss in upper int level.But at the end of the lesson they were a little confusedConfused.Also as I �m not a native speaker , I couldnt give satisfying answers. If sb especially native one helps me, I �ll be grateful.

1. mustn �t have done and can �t have done are used for certain situations. How can students make a distinction between them?

2. He should be tired. Using should in this meaning is common or not?

3. should have done is used for unfulfilled obligation. Can we also use it as an advice for past situations?

4. ought to / needn �t  Are these two modals used in daily language as well? Or don �t/doesn �t need to and should is much better to use?

5. can �t have done is common in English. Also is it possible to use couldn �t have done? 
 Maybe I asked so many questions but I need urgent help. Thanks a lot for your help.

8 Feb 2014      





FlubAri
Mexico

I �m not native English speakerStern Smile but I hope this links can help you Smile

http://www.perfect-english-grammar.com/modal-verbs.html

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SaBH_huiJSM
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cB7vltnJsOw
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kZ3rHYcWFlA


8 Feb 2014     



MoodyMoody
United States

1. Oddly enough, I don �t use the contraction mustn �t very often with the perfect tense, although "can �t have _____" sounds fine to me. With must not have, I come to a conclusion that something didn �t happen. Example: "There is a big puddle of melted ice cream on my counter. I must not have put it back in the freezer." With can �t have, I know something didn �t happen because of contradictory evidence. Example: "I can �t have bounced a check! I deposited my paycheck last week!"

2. He should be tired. That implies that he did something after which it is reasonable to believe that he is tired. Example: "He should be tired. He ran a marathon today."
 
3. Should have done is always in the past, either for an unfulfilled obligation or for an action that would have been better than the action that was taken. Unfulfilled obligation: "She should have gone to work today, but she had the flu." Better action:" He should have gone to bed earlier last night. Now he can hardly keep his eyes open during the meeting."
 
4.  We do still use ought to (often pronounced "oughta"), but not as much as should. At least in American English, we rarely use needn �t. We use don �t/doesn �t need to much more.
 
5. I would say we use couldn �t have done even more than can �t have done. It �s perfectly okay.
 
That �s my take on it as an American English speaker. I hope it was helpful.

8 Feb 2014     



Peter Hardy
Australia

Couldn �t have said it better, Moody. You must have used your girl powers. :-) Just keep in mind, Gurb, that many (Western) people like to change the past. Therefore we use the past perfect, and the addition of �Would & Should � etcetera explains our inability. (Might almost be the cause of depression :-) And feel free to search this site for a Modals(s) Perfect. (I �ve forgotten the author, but hey, this site gives lots of fun in searches.) And Flub �s tips will surely help too. Cheers. P.

9 Feb 2014     



gurbetyolcusu
Albania

Thanks all your replies. They have been really useful

9 Feb 2014