Grammar: [Advanced] Modals in the Past (Παρελθοντικά Τροπικά Ρήματα)

Modals in the Past 

 Παρελθοντικά Τροπικά Ρήματα

can't have	could	could have	couldn't	couldn't have
didn't need to	had to	may have	may not have	might have
might not have	must have	needn't have	ought not to have	ought to have
should have	shouldn't have	would have	would not

 

can't have

Βεβαιότητα e.g. I can't have lost my keys! (Είμαι σίγουρος ότι δεν τα έχασα)

could	Παραχώρηση αδείας  e.g. When I was a teenager, I could go out as late as I wanted.
	Γενική ικανότητα   e.g. Tom could walk by the age of 8 months.

could have	Ανεκπλήρωτη πιθανότητα e.g. I could have passed my driving test if I'd really tried.
	Αβεβαιότητα  e.g. I guess it could have been Sandra on the phone.

    

couldn't	Στέρηση αδείας  e.g. When I was a teenager, I couldn't stay out as late as I wanted.
	Γενική ικανότητα  e.g. I couldn't walk until I was 2.
	Ικανότητα σε μία συγκεκριμένη περίπτωση  e.g. I tried hard but I couldn't persuade him to go to the party with us.

couldn't have	Πιθανότητα/ικανότητα  e.g. I couldn't possibly have passed my driving test, even if I'd tried harder.
	Αβεβαιότητα  e.g. It couldn't have been Sandra on the phone, could it?
	Με επίθετα στον συγκριτικό βαθμό  e.g. I couldn't have asked for better weather on my wedding day.
	Απροθυμία e.g. I couldn't have left the dog in the car for long (so I didn't).

        

didn’t need to

Μη απαραίτητη πράξη που δεν έγινε e.g. As I was alone this weekend, I didn't need to do any cooking (so I didn't).

had to

υποχρέωση (τύπος αορίστου του must) e.g. I couldn't go out last night because I had to do my homework.

may have

Αβεβαιότητα e.g. I guess I may have been a bit hard on her when she came home an hour late.

may not have

Αβεβαιότητα e.g. He may not have found out yet that he has passed the test.

might have	Ανεκπλήρωτη πιθανότητα  e.g. You might have been killed!
	Αβεβαιότητα  e.g. I guess I might have been a bit hard on her when she came home an hour late.
	Ενόχληση για την αποτυχία κάποιου να κάνει κάτι e.g. You might have told me that you had invited all your colleagues round for dinner!
	might have known + would (ιδιωματισμός για να εκφραστεί ειρωνικά ότι η πράξη κάποιου ήταν συνηθισμένη)  e.g. I might have known that he would finish with me as soon as he found out I wasn't wealthy!

might not have

Αβεβαιότητα e.g. He may not have found out yet that he has passed the test.

must have	Βεβαιότητα  e.g. He must have known how much it was going to cost.  (I'm sure he knew.)
	Με το surely σε αναφωνήσεις  e.g.  Surely he must have known how much it was going to cost!

needn't have

Μη απαραίτητη πράξη η οποία έγινε  e.g.  Oh, you needn't have done the washing up!

ought not to have

Κριτική (πιο σύνηθες είναι το shouldn't have) e.g. You ought not to have been so frank with him.

ought to have

Προσδοκία (το should have είναι συνηθέστερο) Why is she late?  She ought to have arrived by now!

should have	Προσδοκία Why is she late?  She should have arrived by now!
	should have + ρήματα σκέψης  e.g. I should have thought you knew.
	με το be και επίθετα, για να περιγράψουμε την τύχη/σύμπτωση  e.g. It was weird that you should have been staying in the same hostel last month.
	Κριτική (δεν έκανες κάτι, αλλά θα ήταν το σωστό να το κάνεις)  e.g.  The party was such fun last night!  You should have come!

shouldn't have	Κριτική e.g. You shouldn't have been so frank with him.
	Ευγενική έκφραση ευχαριστηρίων για την λήψη ενός δώρου ή χάρης "Here's a bottle of wine for you" "Oh, you really shouldn't have!"

would have	Πράξεις του παρελθόντος οι οποίες δεν συνέβησαν e.g.  I wouldn't have gone out with him, but he didn't ask me.
	Υποθέσεις  e.g. Oh, that would have been Sarah on the phone just now.

would not

Απροθυμία  e.g. I asked Tom to close the window, but he wouldn't do it.