Lesson XXII: Speculaticve Statements of the Past

B. Speculative Statements of the Past B.1. Speculations about the Past – Simple Forms Previous pattern: We MUST PRACTICE English TODAY. We MAY PRACTICE English TODAY. We MIGHT PRACTICE English TODAY. We COULD PRACTICE English YESTERDAY. Probabilities in the past: Modal-HAVE-AF Similar meaning Probability close MUST HAVE IT WAS HIGHLY PROBABLE … I CONCLUDE … ↓ MAY HAVE IT WAS VERY POSSIBLE … ↓ MIGHT HAVE IT WAS POSSIBLE … ↓ COULDN'T HAVE IT WASN'T POSSIBLE … ↓ … … Probability remote New pattern: S-Block Action Block … Actional Block … Modal-HAVE-AF … Action Time The students MUST HAVE STUDIED math LAST WEEK. They MAY HAVE LEFT the city LAST MONTH. John MIGHT HAVE BEEN at home YESTERDAY. Mary COULDN'T HAVE GONE home LAST WEEK.