Modals for Deduction

Use and Form:

The following modals can be used to make guesses about a present situation.
must + infinitive
Use this when you make a guess and you are almost certain that your guess is correct.
Wheres John
!es not here. !e must be in the bathroom.
may + infinitive
might + infinitive
could + infinitive
Use this when you make a guess but you are only suggesting one possibility. You are not certain
you are correct.
Wheres John
!es not here. !e may be in the bathroom" or he might be in the kitchen" or he could be outside.
may not + infinitive
might not + infinitive
Use this when you make a guess about what is not true" but you are only suggesting one
possibility. You are not certain you are correct.
Wheres John
!es not here. !e may not be at work today.
#$T%: &o not use could not here.
cant + infinitive
Use this when you make a guess about what is not true" and you are almost certain that your
guess is correct.
Wheres John 's he in the kitchen
#o" he cant be. ' was in there a minute ago.
#$T%: you cannot use: mustnt ( infiniti)e to make deductions about what is not true.

Common Mistakes:
*. +any students do not take the opportunity to use these structures when they can.
+aybe your bag is in the classroom. ,- .our bag might be in the classroom.
Past Modals for Deduction
Use and Form:
The following modals can be used to guess what happened in the past.
must have + past participle verb
Use this when you make a guess about the past" and you are almost certain that your guess is
correct.
The chickens ha)e escaped/ !ow did they get out
They must ha)e got out under the gate. There is no other way out.
may have + past participle verb
might have + past participle verb
could have + past participle verb
Use this when you make a guess about the past" but you are only suggesting one possibility. You
are not certain you are correct.
The chickens ha)e escaped/ !ow did they get out
They may ha)e got out under the gate" or they might ha)e escaped through this hole in the
fence.
may not have + past participle verb
might not have + past participle verb
Use this when you make a guess about what didnt happen in the past" but you are only
suggesting one possibility. You are not certain you are correct.
Wheres John Why isnt he at the meeting
!e may not ha)e got the message. 0 !e might not ha)e recei)ed the message.
#$T%: may not is not contracted to maynt" and might not is rarely contracted to mightnt.
cant have + past participle verb
couldnt have + past participle verb
Use this when you make a guess about what didnt happen in the past" and you are almost
certain that your guess is correct.
The chickens ha)e escaped/ !ow did they get out
They cant ha)e got out under the gate. ' fi1ed that yesterday.
#$T%: you cannot use: mustnt ha)e ( past participle )erb to make deductions about the past.
Common Mistakes:
*. +any students do not take the opportunity to use these structures when they can.
+aybe ' left my book at home. 2 ' may ha)e left my book at home.
' think 3obin went to the restaurant without us. 2 3obin must ha)e gone to the restaurant without
us.
4. #ote that could ha)e has the same meaning as might ha)e and may ha)e.
Why is Tom late
!e may 0 might 0 could ha)e got stuck in traffic.
!owe)er" in the negati)e form the meaning is not the same.
Why is Tom late
!e may 0 might not ha)e got your message. 5#$T could not6
, +aybe he didnt get your message.
7ouldnt ha)e has the same meaning as cant ha)e.
Why is Tom late
'm not sure/ !e cant 0 couldnt ha)e forgotten about the party/
, 'm sure he didnt forget.
!"#"$%: 8 report
&'C()*+(!Y: 7rime: #ouns
9urglar :andalism
detecti)e +urder
3obber !acking
;uspect Terrorism
Thief Thief
Witness
,P-(."$%: +aking &eductions.