Deduction 1
A: Your phone didn't ring when I called.
B: It ____________ (die)
MUST HAVE DIED
A: Did Toby go to buy some bread?
B: Not sure, he __________ (do)
MIGHT HAVE DONE
A: It's hot and I think I'm burning.
B: You ___________ (wear) sunscreen
SHOULD HAVE WORN
A: What was the homework?
B: You _________ (listen)
SHOULD HAVE LISTENED
I'm sure I left my umbrella at school. I don't have it now.
(leave)
I must have left my umbrella at school.
I'm sure Alex wasn't very sick. He was off work only for one day.
(be)
Alex can't have been sick/might not have been sick because he was off work only for one day.
Sue is in bed with a stomachache because she ate too much chocolate cake.
(eat)
Sue shouldn't have eaten too much chocolate cake.
I didn't learn any Greek before I went to Greece and I couldn't understand anybody in Athens.
(learn)
I should have learnt (some) Greek before I went to Greece (so I could understand people in Athens)
I'm sure Ben got my text. There's a double tick next to it.
Ben must have got my text.
You saw Ellie yesterday? That's impossible. She was in bed with the flu.
You can't have seen Ellie yesterday because she was in bed with the flu.
Rob was late because he took the car instead of the train and there was so much traffic.
- make a negative -
He shouldn´t have taken the car to avoid the traffic.
I don't have any money left after spending all of it on 3 new pairs of shoes.
-negative-
You shouldn't have spent all your money on shoes.
or
You shouldn't have bought so many (pairs of) shoes.
Holly's crying. Maybe she had an argument with her parents.
Holly might have had an argument with her parents.
Mr. and Mrs. Smith didn't come to the barbecue. Maybe they didn't receive the invitation.
Mr. and Mrs. Smith might not have received the invitation to the barbecue.
Lucy went to bed late last night and she feels very sleepy this morning.
- mention the 2 possible answers (affirmative and negative) -
She should have gone to bed earlier last night.
or
She shouldn't have gone so late last night.
I went overboard organising the party and bought too much food, what a waste!
- mention the 2 possible answers (affirmative and negative) -
I shouldn't have bought so much food for the party.
or
I should have bought less food for the party.
I'm certain Sam and Ginny didn't get lost. They had a map.
Sam and Ginny can't have got lost because they had a map.
Perhaps John didn't hear you. He's a little bit deaf.
John might not have heard you.
A: Amanda was rude to everyone at my party.
B: You _______________ her. She always misbehaves.
B: You SHOULDN'T HAVE INVITED her. She always misbehaves.
A: Tom gave me his phone number, but I forgot it.
B: You __________________ it down.
B: You SHOULD HAVE WRITTEN it down.