Modal verbs for past probability
| Must / can't / couldn't have - to express probability in the past | ||
| Structure: modal + have + past participle must have been, can't have gone, etc. | ||
| We use must have to express that we feel sure that something was true. | They must have left early. He must have already gone. | |
| We use can't have / couldn't have to say that we believe something was impossible. | He can't have escaped through this window. It is too small. She can't have said that. She couldn't have said that. | |
| May / might / could have - to express probability in the past | ||
| Structure: modal + have + past participle may have been, could have gone, might have lost, etc. | ||
| We use may / could / might have to say that it was possible that something happened in the past (but we are not 100% sure). | He may have missed the bus. The road might have been blocked. | |
| The negatives are may not have and might not have. | He may not have left yet. The assistant might not have received his message. | |
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