Modals of Deduction

CAN’TMUST

COULD

MIGHT

MAY

(+) Must

• We use ‘must’ when we feel 100% sure that something is true because we have strong evidence about the information.

Present Tenses + must + verb (base form)

She must be furious!

His parents must be rich!

(+) Must

• We use ‘must’ for the past when we feel 100% sure that something happened in the past.

Past Tenses + must have + past participle

They must have had a big party!

The couple must have gotten married!

(+) May / Might / Could

• We use may/might/could when we are not sure about something but we think it is possible.

Present Tenses + may/might/could + verb (base form)

She may be lonely!

She might be lonely!

She could be lonely!

(-) May not / Might not / Could not

• We use may not/might not/could not when we think that something is not exactly true.

Present Tenses + may not /might not /could not + v (base form)

They might not be a couple!

(+) May/Might/Could

• We use may/might/could in the past when we feel unsure about what happened in the past.

Past Tenses + may have + past participle

s + might have + past participles + could have + past participle

• He could have been fired!• He might have gotten into a

fight with someone.• He may have had a bad day.

Can’t

• We use can’t or cannot when we feel 100% sure that something is NOT true because we have strong evidence about the information.

s + can’t + verb (base form)

He can’t be cold!

I’m shocked! You can’t be serious!

Can’t

• We use can’t or cannot in the past when we feel 100% sure that something is NOT true about a past situation.

s + can’t have + past participle

Maria can’t have been sick yesterday! I saw her playing tennis in the morning and

soccer in the afternoon!

Write modals of deduction for the pictures below!

MUST: 1 Present & 1 Past

Write modals of deduction for the pictures below!

CAN’T: 1 Present & 1 Past

Write modals of deduction for the pictures below!

MAY/MIGHT/COULD: 1 Present & 1 Past