Complete the 12 sentences below. Choose the best answer for each one. Some sentences have two correct answers. Choose both.
1Given that the audit trail is complete, time-stamped and shows no edits after the meeting, the CFO ............... the figures after the meeting.
Wrong!
Use "can't have altered" to say the past action was impossible because the evidence rules it out.
2If the lab had followed its own protocol, it ............... the contamination before publishing the results.
Select 2 answers.
Wrong!
In the result of this unreal past condition, "should have detected" says detection would have been expected, and "could have detected" says it would have been possible; "must have" is for deductions, not conditional results.
3She ............... the email, because she replied with a detailed quote from the second paragraph.
Wrong!
Use "must have read" to make a strong conclusion about the past from clear evidence.
4The intern ............... the attachment, because the file is still sitting unopened in the shared drive.
Wrong!
Use "can't have opened" to say the evidence shows the past action did not happen.
5In theory, the attacker ............... the password, but they probably exploited a session token instead.
Wrong!
Use "might have guessed" to allow a past possibility while showing it is not the most likely explanation.
6You ............... the client in front of their team; it undermined the whole negotiation.
Wrong!
Use "shouldn't have contradicted" to criticize a past action as a mistake.
7He ............... the deadline, because the submission portal closed at midnight and his upload is time-stamped 00:17.
Wrong!
Use "can't have met" to conclude that the past event was impossible from the facts given.
8We ............... the risk assessment more carefully; the warning signs were in the incident logs for weeks.
Wrong!
Use "should have reviewed" to express regret about a better action that was not taken.
9The board ............... the merger without reading the due diligence, but the unanimous vote suggests they did read it.
Wrong!
Use "might have approved" to describe a possible past action that is not presented as certain.
10You ............... the receipt, because the refund was processed automatically and no manual check was required.
Wrong!
Use "needn't have kept" to say a past action was done but was not necessary.
11Given the conflicting witness statements and the judge's written summary of all three accounts, the judge ............... the verdict on one testimony.
Select 2 answers.
Wrong!
Use "can't have based" or "couldn't have based" to say the evidence makes that single basis impossible.
12With the data still incomplete, the committee ............... the policy so quickly.
Select 2 answers.
Wrong!
Use "shouldn't have adopted" or "oughtn't to have adopted" to criticize the committee's premature decision.
Exercise complete
0 out of 12
correct answers
Answers
- Given that the audit trail is complete, time-stamped and shows no edits after the meeting, the CFO can’t have altered the figures after the meeting.
- If the lab had followed its own protocol, it could have detected / should have detected the contamination before publishing the results.
- She must have read the email, because she replied with a detailed quote from the second paragraph.
- The intern can’t have opened the attachment, because the file is still sitting unopened in the shared drive.
- In theory, the attacker might have guessed the password, but they probably exploited a session token instead.
- You shouldn’t have contradicted the client in front of their team; it undermined the whole negotiation.
- He can’t have met the deadline, because the submission portal closed at midnight and his upload is time-stamped 00:17.
- We should have reviewed the risk assessment more carefully; the warning signs were in the incident logs for weeks.
- The board might have approved the merger without reading the due diligence, but the unanimous vote suggests they did read it.
- You needn’t have kept the receipt, because the refund was processed automatically and no manual check was required.
- Given the conflicting witness statements and the judge’s written summary of all three accounts, the judge can’t have based / couldn’t have based the verdict on one testimony.
- With the data still incomplete, the committee shouldn’t have adopted / oughtn’t to have adopted the policy so quickly.