Uncertainty in the Past

Part 1: Choose the correct words to complete the sentence. Some of the words may not be used. The first one is done for you.

1. It’s 3:15 and you were supposed to meet your sister at 3:00, but she’s not there. She is late. She might have gotten lost.

2. When you arrived at your house, you noticed the lamp was broken. One of the kids

must have broken it.

3. Where is the cake? It’s gone. But you could have eaten all of it!

4. He didn’t answer his phone, but I know he always has his phone with him. He must have not heard it ring.

5. Where is my jacket? My roommate could have taken it by mistake.

6. I’m not sure, but I think I might have seen a spider in my backpack.

7. Why didn’t you come to my party? You must not have received the email with the new date and time.

8. Who made this mess? It could have been your brother because he’s at school. It must have been you!

9. Why is there such bad traffic? There must have been an accident on the freeway that just happened a few minutes ago.

10. What was that noise? It could not have been Brad because he’s out of town. There’s no one else in the house besides us!

Part 2: Complete the sentence by changing the past tense verb to the past modal form. The first one is done for you.

1. The ground is wet. Maybe it rained.

The ground is wet. It may have rained/ might have rained/ could have rained. (All are correct.)

2. Jane was crying. She most likely heard the bad news.

She must have heard the bad news.

3. The cat is wet. Maybe she was playing in the rain, or maybe Mom gave her a bath.

Mom might have given her a bath.

4. This book is in Italian. Matt didn’t write it—that’s impossible. He doesn’t speak Italian.

Matt couldn’t have written this book.

5. Brian didn’t cook this dinner. That’s not possible because he doesn’t know how to cook.

Brian couldn’t have cooked this dinner.

6. John most likely didn’t read the directions before he started this test—he did the whole thing wrong!

John mustn’t have read the directions.