5 Questions
Which of the following best describes the use of could have, would have, and should have?
Expressing present feelings about a past decision
What is the main difference between simple past and past modals like could have, would have, and should have?
Simple past tells what happened, while past modals tell what could have, would have, and should have happened
When forming past modals like could have, would have, and should have, which word is used for all pronouns?
Have
What does 'could have' imply?
Something was possible in the past but did not happen
What do could have, would have, and should have work like according to the text?
A grammatical time machine
Study Notes
Past Modals
- Could have, would have, and should have are used to express hypothetical or unreal situations in the past.
Simple Past vs. Past Modals
- Main difference: Simple past describes completed actions in the past, while past modals like could have, would have, and should have describe hypothetical or unreal situations in the past.
Forming Past Modals
- 'Have' is used for all pronouns when forming past modals like could have, would have, and should have.
'Could have'
- Implies: ability or possibility in the past, but the action didn't happen.
How Past Modals Work
- Could have, would have, and should have work like conditional sentences, describing hypothetical or unreal situations in the past.
Learn about the usage of past tense modal verbs could have, would have, and should have to express present feelings about past decisions or actions. Understand how they function as 'modals of lost opportunities'.
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