Future inpast

Question

Teachers,Must we always have would for this? Can someone give examples?thanks

Cool Breeze · Accepted Answer

AnonymousMust we always have would for this?

No, there are other options.

I knew I should buy it.
He thought the sun was going to set by 7 o'clock.
He said he could try it the next day.

And so on.

CB

Anonymous · Answer

Thank you. Is this how.It was unethical but it might work.

AlpheccaStars · Answer

AnonymousIt was unethical but it might work.

It was unethical, but it might (could, would, should, may, ought to) have worked.

Anonymous · Answer

Thanks, but why have? Might alone is enough?

CalifJim · Answer

AnonymousThanks, but why have? Might alone is enough?

No. might alone is not enough.

I wrote a reply for you on another thread that explains might and might have a little. Maybe that will help.

In any case, the modal verbs, or simply "modals", of English cannot take the past ending -ed, so instead, you make the modal apply to the past by adding have.

will, would, can, could, shall (rarely used), should, may, might, must
(These take the bare infinitive: will see, may see, ...)

will have (for the future perfect), would have, can have (very rare), could have, shall have (very rare, also future perfect), should have, may have, might have, must have
(These take the past participle: will have seen, may have seen, ...)

The modals would and could do have some uses in the past, and will have (or shall have) is used to form the future perfect tense, but the others (could, should, may, might, must) need have to make them apply to past situations, particularly when you apply logic to make a conclusion about a given situation.

Look at that man! He's trying to defuse a bomb! He could be killed!
We saw the man trying to defuse a bomb. He could have been killed!

Henry doesn't seem to be paying attention. He may/might be sleepy.
Henry didn't seem to be paying attention. He may/might have been sleepy.

Laura doesn't want to go near the edge of the cliff. She must be afraid of falling.
Laura didn't want to go near the edge of the cliff. She must have been afraid of falling.

There is something wrong with the calculation. The numbers should add to 4635.
There was something wrong with the calculation. The numbers should have added to 4635.

(It's more complicated than this, because each modal has its own special characteristics, and uses, and exceptions, but there you have some of the basics, at least.)

CJ

Future inpast

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