Choose the best past modal to complete each sentence.
1The departure board says “departed” and the platform is empty, so the train ...............
Wrong!
The board and empty platform provide strong evidence, so "must have departed" expresses a confident deduction.
2You ............... me about the delay; I waited outside for an hour.
Wrong!
The speaker is criticizing a past failure, so "should have told" is correct.
3My only set of keys ............... in the office when I left, because I had them in my pocket.
Wrong!
Having the only set in your pocket makes the alternative impossible, so "can't have been" is correct.
4We ............... the report by Friday without Anna's help; none of us could do the calculations she completed.
Wrong!
Anna's essential contribution shows that completion without her was impossible, so "couldn't have finished" is correct.
5Given the guaranteed delivery date, the parcel ............... by now, although we still need to check.
Wrong!
The guaranteed date creates an expectation, while the need to check prevents certainty; therefore, "should have arrived" is correct.
6Because of the snow, Marta ............... the last train, but we can't be sure.
Wrong!
The words “we can't be sure” require an uncertain possibility, so "may have missed" is correct.
7I ............... a taxi because the last bus was still running, so I went by bus.
Wrong!
The speaker did not take a taxi, so "didn't have to take" expresses an unnecessary action that was not performed.
8Although we waited in the queue for an hour, we ............... it by booking online; however, we did not know that booking was available.
Wrong!
Booking offered an unrealized past possibility, so "could have avoided" is correct; the speakers did not know about it.
9I travelled to the office only because I thought the meeting was in person; if I had known it was online, I ............... there.
Wrong!
The if-clause describes the unreal past condition that would have changed the result, so "wouldn't have gone" is correct.
10I ............... so much at dinner; I feel awful now.
Wrong!
Feeling awful now leads to regret about eating too much, so "shouldn't have eaten" is correct.
11The receipt shows that the report was signed for at the Bristol office, not our Bath office, so it ............... to the wrong address.
Wrong!
The signed receipt from Bristol provides strong evidence, so "must have been sent" expresses the required deduction.
12The figures ............... yet; the manager has not confirmed whether anyone processed the latest data.
Wrong!
The lack of confirmation leaves open a negative possibility, so "may not have been updated" is correct.
Exercise complete
0 out of 12
correct answers
Answers
- The departure board says “departed” and the platform is empty, so the train must have departed .
- You should have told me about the delay; I waited outside for an hour.
- My only set of keys can’t have been in the office when I left, because I had them in my pocket.
- We couldn’t have finished the report by Friday without Anna’s help; none of us could do the calculations she completed.
- Given the guaranteed delivery date, the parcel should have arrived by now, although we still need to check.
- Because of the snow, Marta may have missed the last train, but we can’t be sure.
- I didn’t have to take a taxi because the last bus was still running, so I went by bus.
- Although we waited in the queue for an hour, we could have avoided it by booking online; however, we did not know that booking was available.
- I travelled to the office only because I thought the meeting was in person; if I had known it was online, I wouldn’t have gone there.
- I shouldn’t have eaten so much at dinner; I feel awful now.
- The receipt shows that the report was signed for at the Bristol office, not our Bath office, so it must have been sent to the wrong address.
- The figures may not have been updated yet; the manager has not confirmed whether anyone processed the latest data.