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Anonymous Posted 14 years ago
Grammar
The past tense of "should"
Hello, I have a really tricky question today, so I need your help. Please help me out.
I know that the past tense of "must" is "had to". Then, how can I distinguish between the past tense of "must" and that of" have to" And what is the past tense of "should" then? Is this also "had to"?
Thank you as usual and have a good day all.
I know that the past tense of "must" is "had to". Then, how can I distinguish between the past tense of "must" and that of" have to" And what is the past tense of "should" then? Is this also "had to"?
Thank you as usual and have a good day all.
Top answer
'Had to' is not the past tense of 'must'; 'must' has no past tense. In some contexts, if we wish to express the idea of an obligation imposed in the past, we can use 'had to' 'Should' has several shades of meaning. In the sense of weak obligation, as in "I should go now", one way of expressing this as a past form is 'was supposed to".
- 'Had to' is not the past tense of 'must'; 'must' has no past tense.
- In some contexts, if we wish to express the idea of an obligation imposed in the past, we can use 'had to' 'Should' has several shades of meaning.
- In the sense of weak obligation, as in "I should go now", one way of expressing this as a past form is 'was supposed to".
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4 Answers
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'Had to' is not the past tense of 'must'; 'must' has no past tense. In some contexts, if we wish to express the idea of an obligation imposed in the past, we can use 'had to'
'Should' has several shades of meaning. In the sense of weak obligation, as in "I should go now", one way of expressing this as a past form is 'was supposed to".
'Should' has several shades of meaning. In the sense of weak obligation, as in "I should go now", one way of expressing this as a past form is 'was supposed to".
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"Must" is a defective/modal auxiliary and you should learn the various meanings and uses of these verbs separately. "Must" has no past tense; "had" is the past tense of "have".
Very often, a perfect infinitive is used with the modal auxiliaries to refer to the past. Examples:
It must be easy. (now, tomorrow)
It must have been easy. (yesterd
Very often, a perfect infinitive is used with the modal auxiliaries to refer to the past. Examples:
It must be easy. (now, tomorrow)
It must have been easy. (yesterd
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Yes, this is tricky. Conditionals are the most complex topic in English. Conditionals are used to indicate uncertainty, tentativeness, probability, etc. Typically they are used in present time with sometimes a seeming implication of future time:
"I may go to the party." (This is said in present time, indicating uncertainty, yet there seems to be an implied futureness about it, as the
"I may go to the party." (This is said in present time, indicating uncertainty, yet there seems to be an implied futureness about it, as the
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The best way is to use Should + have + V3 or Ved.
For example: I should have studied.
This is a great video about it:
https://www.engvid.com/grammar-past-tense-should/
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