Grammar: Modal verbs – deduction in the present

* must + verb is used to describe something we are sure is true. For example: "It must be
raining because I can hear the rain hitting the roof."

* may, might, or could + verb are used to describe something which is possibly true. For
example: "You look tired, you might be working too hard."

* can't + verb is used to describe something which we are certain is not true. For example:
"This can't be the right street because it doesn't make sense with what is on the map."

Complete the following blanks to form sentences of deduction. Use must, can't, may, might,
could.

1. Tom ______________________ be at home because I can hear his music playing.

2. You play the piano so well, you ______________________ be a professional musician.

3. Mary ______________________ be at home because her car isn't outside her house.

4. Frank hasn't spoke to me all day. I am not certain but I think he ______________________
be annoyed with me.

5. I think I can hear a car outside, but Sarah ______________________ be home already
because she doesn't finish work until 6.

6. The client is taking a long time to make a decision. Do you think he

______________________ have doubts about the deal?

7. What she said ______________________ be true because it contradicts something we

already know.

8. I don't know what "screen" means, but it ______________________ mean "pantalla".

9. I'm not sure what's in this food, but it ______________________ be garlic.

10. I'm certain of it now, Bill ______________________ be the thief.

11. "I ______________________ be the thief because I was at my girlfriend's house." said
Bill.

12. This tastes very salty. I'm certain that it ______________________ have a lot of added
salt.

13. I've been coughing and sneezing a lot today. I ______________________ be getting ill.
14. He looks exactly like the man in the photo, he ______________________ be the person
we are looking for.

15. You ______________________ be telling the truth because it contradicts the information
I have.

16. I'm not sure about the answer to this question, what I've put already
______________________ not be the correct answer.

17. There's a pool of water in the kitchen. It ______________________ be coming from the
sink because I've checked it extremely carfully. I don't know where it's coming from.

18. I have a headache. It ______________________ be a hangover because I didn't drink

anything last night!
 Grammar: Modal verbs – past deduction,
speculation, criticism
* must have (participle) is used to express a certainty that something happened in the past,
normally by deduction. For example: "There are shards of glass on the inside, the window
must have been broken from the outside!"

* may/might/could have (participle) are used to express deduction about a possibility. For
example: "He may have been drinking last night because he looks terrible today!"

* can't/couldn't have (participle) are used to express past impossibility by deduction. For
example: "He can't have studied much for the exam because he failed horribly."

* should/shouldn't have are used to express criticism about something in the past, or to
express an opinion that something should have been done differently. For example: "I
shouldn't have had that last beer, I have a terrible headache today!"

Complete the following blanks with the correct form of a modal verb + have + the verb in
brackets to express deduction or an opinion about the past.

1. Bill hasn't arrived for the meeting yet, he ______________________ (get) stuck in traffic.
There's no other possibility.

2. Sally's car is still parked outside her house, she ______________________ (leave) for
work yet because she always goes by car.

3. His phone is out of battery, he ______________________ (forget) to charge it. I'm certain
of it.

4. I'm not sure where my keys have disappeared to, but I suppose I
_______________________ (leave) them on my desk. It's certainly a possibility.

5. I'm not surprised you failed the job interview, you ______________________ (study)
more!

6. You ______________________ (tell) her that her hair looked bad, she's going to be upset
with you all day.

7. There are puddles of water on the pavement, it ______________________ (rain). It's the
only explanation.

8. You behaved terribly last night, you ______________________ (drink) so much!

9. It's midnight already! We ______________________ (spend) the last three hours talking!
10. It's hard to say for certain, but the classical music performance last night
______________________ (be) the best I've ever heard.

11. There's a mosquito in here, it ______________________ (come) in through the window.

No doubt about it.

12. The government ______________________ (do) something about the financial situation a
long time ago.

13. I can't beleive that you won the football match, your team is terrible. You
______________________ (have) a lot of luck!

14. This soup is so thick and tastes so nice! They ___________ (put) a lot of cream in it.

15. I know it's too late to say it now, but I ______________________ (waste) so much money
on silly things last month.

16. You say that it rained all weekend while you were in London? It
______________________ (be) very nice for you.

17. He is such a great athlete, he ______________________ (train) hard his whole life.

18. She ______________________ (eat) so much chocolate if she really wanted to lose
weight.