Modals in the past

Can

Could

Must

May

Might

Should

Ought to have+P.P.

Would like to

Needn't

I'd rather

I'd better

I'd sooner

Jeżeli do modalnych dodamy perfect infinitive to odnosimy sie do sytuacji przeszłej tworząc alternatywę bądź hipotezę wydarzen widzianych z naszej teraźniejszości. Do `mocnych' zaliczamy can't have (can nie występuje), must have (mustn't występuje)

I saw your wife dancing with handsome man AT the party last night.

You can't have seen her, she was with me.

She speaks English very well. She must have had a great teacher.

Could - alternatywa albo hipoteza.

You could have told her the truth knowing how upset she was.

We couldn't have been much happier, could we?

Should (ought to) - podobnie jak wyżej.

Would like to -

I'd rather

I'd better - byłoby lepiej żebym coś zrobił

I'd sooner = I'd rather = I'd prefer

I'd like to visit you today.

I'd like to have visited you but ………..

I'd better go home. God damn I'd better have gone home.

Needn't+perfect inf. - W jednym jedynym przypadku needn't zapisuje się w trwałej pamięci testowej występując w postaci needn't have + P.P. gdy niepotrzebnie coś zrobiliśmy.

You needn't have bought food because the fridge is full.

Przeciwne są, didn't need to, didn't have to - gdy mówimy o czymś czego nie zrobiliśmy bo nie musieliśmy.:

I didn't need to get up In the morning because it was Sunday