Modal verbs - present

Advice modal verb + infinitive

should/shouldn't
ought to
had better

Obligation
must
have to
need to
No obligation
don't /doesn't have to
don't / doesn't need to
needn't
Prohibition (not possible)
mustn't
not allowed to (isn't / aren't / am not
allowed to)
can't

Modal verbs -past

Obligation and necessity

had to
needed to

Not necessary but it happened

needn't have
Not necessary but maybe it happened and
maybe it didn't
didn't have to
didn't neeed to

Prohibited or not possible

wasn't / weren't allowed to
couldn't

Criticise a past action or say that it was a

mistake

should / shouldn't have

ought to have

modal verb + have + past participle (-ed/IIIc.)

should/ shouldn't/ ought to/ needn't have + pp