Modal verbs

may have gone, should hove told etc

modal verbs with perfect infinitives are used mostly to talk about 'unreal' past situations -things which are the opposite of what happened, or which did not certainly happen.

You should have told me earlier.

 She may have gone home.

the opposite of what happened Should have..., ought to have..., would have...,could have... and might have . . . can be used to talk about 'unreal past situations that are the opposite of what really happened. 

You should have been here an hour ago. (But you weren't.)

Alice oughtn't to have bought that car. (But she did.)

I was so angry I could. have killed her. (But I didn't.)

If I'd known you were coming I would have stayed in.

jumping out of the window like that - he could/might have broken his leg.

We can use the structure to criticise people for not doing things.

You could have helped me! (Why didn't you?)

You might have let me know you weren't coming - I stayed in aII evening!

not certain May have ..., could have... and might hare .,. can be used to talk about possible situations,

when we are not sure what (has) happened.

I may have left my keys here this morning. Have you seen them?

'Why isn't he here?' 'He could have missed the train, I suppose.'

They re not home. They might have gone away for the weekend

Must/Can't have ... are used to talk about what we know or believe from logical deduction, from reasoning about things 

Julie is crying. something bad must have happened.

joe isn't here. He can't have got my message.

mast have... and had to... Note the difference.

joe must have gone home. (It seems certain that he has gone home.)

joe had l to go home. (It was necessary for him to go home.)

can't hove ,,. and may not have... Note the difference.

They can't have arrived yet. (They certainly haven't arrived.)

They may not have arrived yet. (Perhaps they haven't arrived.)

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