Avui aprofundirem en els verbs modals en passat. Podem expressar diferents graus de certesa sobre fets que van succeir en el passat utilitzant verbs modals com must, can’t, may, might i could. Els verbs modals ens ajuden a expressar com de segurs estem respecte a si alguna cosa va succeir o no.
MUST HAVE
Utilitzem must have quan estem 90% o més segurs de que alguna cosa va ser certa.
Exemple:
- She must have been at home yesterday because they didn’t see her at work.
MAY HAVE, MIGHT HAVE, COULD HAVE
Utilitzem may have, might have i could have per expressar una possibilitat passada del 50% de que alguna cosa va ser certa.
Exemple:
- She may/might/could have been at home yesterday, but I don’t really know.
MAY NOT HAVE, MIGHTN’T (MIGHT NOT) HAVE
Utilitzem may not have i mightn’t (might not) have per expressar una possibilitat passada del 50% de que alguna cosa NO era certa. Tingues en compte que només utilitzem could have de forma positiva per parlar sobre possibilitats.
Exemples:
- She may/might not have been at home yesterday, but I don’t really know.
- HShe could not have been at home yesterday. I don’t know for sure.
CAN’T HAVE
Utilitzem can’t have quan estem 90% segurs de que alguna cosa no va ser certa.
Exemple:
- She can’t/couldn’t have been at home yesterday. She was in Madrid.
SENSE VERB MODAL
Recorda que si estem 100% segurs de que alguna cosa va succeïr o no va succeïr, no utilitzem cap verb modal d’especulació o deducció.
Exemples:
- She was at home.
- She wasn’t at home.
Recorda que des del nostre blog tens a la teva disposició diferents recursos gratuïts com, per exemple, consells per saber com millorar l’speaking . No t’ho perdis!