PERFECT MODALS

PERFECT MODALS


MODAL + HAVE + Vpp

• • WOULD HAVE Vpp
    To express missed opportunities and past hypothesis: She told me (that) she would have liked to come and see us.
     
  • SHOULD / OUGHT TO HAVE Vpp
    To express a certain degree of obligation in the past on the part of the speaker. To express regrets or complains: I should have booked a room in advanced (but I didn’t do it). She ought to have resisted the urge to eat chocolate cake because she is on a diet (but she didn’t do it).
     
  • MUST / CAN / COULD / MAY / MIGHT HAVE Vpp
    To express if a past action did or did not happen. Depending on the chosen verb, the possibility of the action been achieved is bigger or smaller: It must / can / could / may / might have rained a lot tonight.

  
  

•