May have / Might have / Could have
Subject + may + have + past participle verb
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Subject + might + have + past participle verb
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Subject + could + have + past participle verb
Review
If you do not know how to use the modal verbs may, might or could please read this lesson first.
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All are used to say that something in the future is possible.
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May:
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70% likely to happen
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I may go to the shop.
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Might
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60% likely to happen
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Yes or no to the event happening or not
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I might go to the shop.
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The other choice is you don't go to the shop.
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Could
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60% likely to happen
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Many choices of the event
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I could go to the shop.
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The other choices are: go to the park, go the cinema, go to the coffee shop etc
Verbs
Vocabulary
Particular performances of a play, musical, piece of music etc.
Explain - may have
Subject + may + have + past participle
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You are unsure if the event in the past happened
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It is 70% likely that the happened
Past
Now
Future
eat snails
I may have eaten snails.
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You are unsure if you have eaten snails.
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It is 70% likely that you ate snails.
I may have eaten snails in France.
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You are unsure if you have eaten snails in France.
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It is 70% likely that you ate snails.
Past
Now
Future
go to that restaurant
I may have been to that restaurant.
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You are unsure if you have been to that restaurant.
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It is 70% likely that you went to that restaurant.
I may have been to that restaurant a long time ago.
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You are unsure if you have been to that restaurant.
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It is 70% likely that you went to that restaurant a long time.
Practice - May
Past
Now
Future
listen to that
I may have listened to that.
Past
Now
Future
see those films
Answer
I may have seen those films.
Past
Now
Future
watch that documentary on politics
Answer
I may have watched that documentary on politics.
A: I watched a terrible film last night.
B: What was it?
A: It was called Scary Movie. Someone recommended it to me.
B:
A: I'll never listen to you again.
Answer
I may have recommended it to you.
Explain - Might have
Subject + might + have + past participle
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You are unsure if the event in the past happened
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It is 60% likely that the happened
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There are only two options: the event happened or it did not happen
Past
Now
Future
read those books
I might have read those books.
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You are unsure if you have read those books
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It is 60% likely that you have read those books
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There are only two options: you read it, or you didn't
I might have read those books when I was younger.
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You are unsure if you have read those books
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It is 60% likely that you have read those books when you were younger.
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There are only two options: you read it, or you didn't
Past
Now
Future
go to that place in London
I might have been to that place in London.
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You are unsure if you have been to that place in London.
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It is 60% likely that you went to that place.
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There are only two options: you went, or you didn't.
Practice - Might have
Past
Now
Future
listen to their record
I might have listened to their record.
Past
Now
Future
see that play
Answer
I might have seen that play.
Past
Now
Future
go to this exhibition
Answer
I might have been to Her Majesty's Theatre.
A: Have you listened to Taylor Swift's new album?
B: No, was it good?
A: It was.
B: When did you listen to it?
A:
Answer - last week
I might have listened to it last week, but I can't remember.
Explain - Could have - Number 1
Subject + could + have + past participle
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You are unsure if the event in the past happened
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It is 60% likely that the happened
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There are other options for the event
Past
Now
Future
rain last Tuesday evening
It could have rained last Tuesday evening.
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You are unsure if it rained last Tuesday evening
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It is 60% likely that it rained
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It could have also been sunny, cloudy, windy or snowed
Conversation
A: Did you see that?
B: What?
A: Something just ran across the floor!
B: What do you think it was?
A: It could have been a spider. Or, it could have been a mouse.
B: Or, you could have imagined it.
A: I definitely saw something.
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A is unsure what they saw
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It is 60% likely it was a spider or a mouse
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It could have also been a rat, their imagination, or something else.
A: Last night was strange, wasn't it.
B: Yes. I still don't know what we saw.
A: It could have been a plane.
B: But it could have been something else too.
A: Like a spaceship?
B: You never know.
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A is unsure what they saw
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It is 60% likely it was plane
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It could have also been a spaceship, or something else.
Explain - Could have - Number 2
Subject + could + have + past participle
Past
Now
Future
go to the party
I could have gone to the party.
This grammar is used to say you had the potential or ability to do something in the past but did not do it.
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The event was in the past
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The subject had the potential or ability to go to the party
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The subject did not go to the party
Past
Now
Future
see the new play
I could have seen the new play.
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The event was in the past
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The subject had the potential or ability to see the new play
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The subject did not see the new play
Past
Now
Future
listen to that album
I could have listened to that album yesterday.
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The event was in the past
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The subject had the potential or ability to listen to that album
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The subject did not listen to that album
A: Did you watch to the football yesterday?
B: No. I could have watched it but forgot it was on.
A: Shame. It was a great game.
B: I heard.
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The event was in the past
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The subject had the potential or ability to watch the football
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The subject did not watch the football
Practice- Could have - Number 2
Past
Now
Future
see that production
I could have seen that production.
Past
Now
Future
recommend that show
Answer
I could have recommended that show.
Past
Now
Future
go to the festival
Answer - She
She could have gone to the festival.
NOTE: Why is it 'gone' and not 'been'? We use 'gone' because the subject would have returned from the festival. When using this grammar, 'gone' is often used.
Past
Now
Future
go to an exhibition
Answer - They
They could have gone to an exhibition.
This grammar is used to say the subject did not 'do' something. We often add a reason why the person did not 'do' the event. This is usually with the conjunction 'but'.
They could have gone to an exhibition but didn't have the time.
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They could have gone to an exhibition but didn't like any that were on.
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They could have gone to an exhibition but had too much to do.
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They could have gone to an exhibition but got lost on the way.
Past
Now
Future
watch that new play
Answer - I
I could have watched that new play.
Answer - don't like the actor
I could have watched that new play but don't like the actor.
Answer - it was in French
I could have watched that new play but it was in French.
Answer - hate horrors
I could have watched that new play but I hate horrors.
NOTE: The second 'I' was added for effect. It strengthens the statement.