Question

Alguien me explixa el tema modals of deduction? May might could

Answer 1

Modal Verbs In English: Deduction

Today’s lesson will focus on using modal verbs for certainty, probability, and deduction.

“Deduction” means using the information available to make a guess or draw a conclusion about the facts.

Depending on the information available, you might be more certain that your conclusion is true, or less certain that your conclusion is true – and we use different modal verbs to indicate the degree of certainty.

How certain are you?Use these modal verbs:100% – Completely or almost certainmust, can’t, couldn’t80% – Expecting to be certainshould50% – Maybe certainmight, may, could

 

Let’s look at some examples.

Modal Verbs For CertaintyCERTAINTY ABOUT THE PRESENT

When making deductions about the present, we use must if we are sure something is true and can’t if we are sure that something is impossible.

“He must be a chef.”

For example, if you see this guy, you can say:

He must be a chef.
(we are very certain, because of his uniform and what he is doing)He can’t be a policeman.
(we are very certain he is NOT a policeman)

Carla works every day from 9 AM to 5 PM. Right now it’s 10:30 AM, so…

She must be at work.She can’t be at home.PUT IT INTO PRACTICE!

You’ll see five pictures accompanied by sentences. For each one, fill in the blank with must (if you think it is true) or can’t (if you think it’s not possible).

He _____________ be a vegetarian.

They ______________ be in love.

You studied all night. You ___________ be exhausted.

That __________ be right…

She ____________ love her cat.

CERTAINTY ABOUT THE PAST

When we consider some present evidence and draw a reasonably certain conclusion about what happened in the past, we use must have and couldn’t have plus the past participle of the verb.

must have + past participle
when we draw the conclusion that something DID happen

Sheila got a tan. She must have spent a lot of time in the sun lately.There was one banana left, but now it’s gone. My husband must have eaten 

must not have + past participle
when we draw the conclusion that something did NOT happen

The car is still dirty. Paul must not have washed it yet.He barely touched his lunch. He must not have been

couldn’t have + past participle
when we are certain that something was IMPOSSIBLE

Martha couldn’t have takenyour notebook; she wasn’t even in class yesterday.The cookies are gone. But Eric couldn’t have reached the cookies on the top shelf; he must have asked his older brother to get them.