Category: Imparare Inglese

Past Modals

When we are referring to different events, things, and situations speculatively, or in a way that is based on guessing or on opinions that have been formed without knowing all the facts it’s pivotal that we understand the past modals and how to use them.

Past modals, also known as modal verbs in the past, are used to express various degrees of necessity, possibility, or probability in the past. They include modal verbs like “must have,” “should have,” “could have,” “might have,” and “ought to have.” These modals help us talk about events or actions that happened in the past, with a sense of certainty, possibility, or obligation.

Here are some examples of past modals with explanations:

  1. Must have: This expresses a strong deduction or certainty about something that happened in the past.
    • She must have forgotten her keys at home. (I’m sure she forgot her keys.)
    • He must have arrived early. (I’m certain he arrived early.)

2. Should have: This expresses an expectation or a recommendation about something that was expected to happen in the past.

      • You should have called me last night. (I expected you to call, but you didn’t.)
      • She should have studied more for the exam. (It was recommended, but she may not have done it.)

3. Could have: This indicates a possibility or ability in the past, even if the action did not actually happen.

        • They could have taken a different route. (They had the option to take a different route.)
        • I could have gone to the party, but I chose not to.* (I had the ability to go, but I didn’t.)

4. Might have: This suggests a possibility or a small degree of probability in the past.

          1. She might have left already. (There is a chance that she has already left.)
          2. They might have finished the project by now. (It’s possible they have completed it.)

5. Ought to have: This expresses an expectation or obligation that was present in the past.

            1. You ought to have finished your homework by now. (There was an expectation that you would finish it.)
            2. He ought to have apologized for his behavior. (He had an obligation to apologize.)

In all these examples, the modal verbs are followed by a past participle (e.g., have forgotten, arrived, called). The combination of the modal verb and the past participle conveys the specific meaning associated with each modal.

Past Modals Quiz 1

Answer the following questions using the correct form of must have/should have/could have + past participle:

Past Modals Quiz 2

Answer the following questions using might have/ought to have.

 

Well, that’s all we have for the past modals today, folks!  You ought to have had a wonderful time figuring these out, because it was so much fun for us to make this activity!

B1 Future: Be Going to/Present Continuous

Though the Present Continuous is a great way to indicate present events in present time, we can also use this verb tense when referring to future events as well!

The format is as follows:

1. Present Continuous for Future:
Formation: Subject + am/is/are + verb-ing:

Usage:

  • We use the present continuous for future events when we have a definite plan or arrangement.
  • It’s often used for things that are happening relatively soon or in the near future.
  • The time frame is somewhat fixed and planned.

Examples:

  • I am meeting my friend at 3 PM tomorrow.
  • She is flying to Paris next week.
  • They are having a party on Saturday.

Now you try some examples!

Quiz 1 - Present Continuous as Future

Choose the correct option.

 

We can also use the form be going to to indicate future events/situations!

The format is as follows:

2. “Be Going To” for Future:

Formation: Subject + am/is/are + going to + base form of the verb:

Usage:

  • We use “be going to” for future events when there is evidence or a strong intention to do something.
  • It’s often used for things that you’ve already decided to do or that seem likely to happen based on current circumstances.
  • The time frame is more flexible and can be in the near or distant future.

Examples:

  • I am going to study for my exam tonight. (I’ve made this plan.)
  • She is going to have a baby in a few months. (Based on the evidence of her pregnancy.)
  • They are going to buy a new car soon. (They have the intention to do so.)

Now you try some examples!

Quiz 2 - "Be Going To" for Future

Choose the correct answer.

 

So now you know the importance of these tenses!  We here at Scrambled Eggs are sure you are going to be amazing practicing these English phrases in the next couple of days!  Stay amazing!

Past Participle in Question Phrases

In today’s post we will be learning all about the past participle in question phrases! If you use the phrase “Have you ever…” it is essential to put the following verb in the form of a past participle. Here is an example of the difference:

  • Instead of saying:
    • Have you ever went to California before?
  • Say:
    • Have you ever been to California before?

The past participle normally accompanies another verb in this case the word “have”. The past participle is typically referred to as the third form of the verb and can often be made by adding on these endings : ed, d, or t.

For example:

  • Sleep : slept : slept
  • Jump : jumped : jumped
  • Wear: wore : worn
  • Be : was/were : been

As you can see, sometimes the past participle is exactly the same as the regular past tense but other times things can be more difficult if the verb is irregular! For that reason, it will be useful to look specifically at a list of verbs that are irregular in the past participle so that you can begin to memorize them:

Here is a long list of irregular verbs: https://www.perfect-english-grammar.com/support-files/50_common_irregular_verbs_list.pdf

However below I have compiled a list of the top 10 most used irregular verbs where in the past participle is different from the regular past tense!

 

  1. Be : was/were : been
  2. Become: became: become
  3. Drink: drank: drunk
  4. Do : did: done
  5. Eat: ate: eaten
  6. Give: gave: given
  7. Write: wrote: written
  8. Wear: wore: worn
  9. Speak: spoke: spoken
  10. Sing: sang: sung

Let’s practice using some of these new irregular verbs!

Past Participle Quiz

Try and conjugate the following verbs into the past participle.