Modal Perfects: must have / should have
Build your vocabulary with practical examples
Level B2
must have (logical deduction about past)
must have left
/mʌst həv left/
She must have left already — her car is gone.
must have known
/mʌst həv noʊn/
He must have known about it.
must have been
/mʌst həv bɪn/
It must have been very expensive.
should have / shouldn't have (regret, criticism)
should have called
/ʃʊd həv kɔːld/
You should have called me — I was worried.
should have told
/ʃʊd həv toʊld/
I should have told you the truth.
shouldn't have eaten
/ˈʃʊdənt həv ˈiːtən/
I shouldn't have eaten so much cake.
shouldn't have said
/ˈʃʊdənt həv sed/
He shouldn't have said that — it was rude.
could have / might have (possibility)
could have helped
/kʊd həv helpt/
I could have helped you, but you didn't ask.
could have been
/kʊd həv bɪn/
It could have been a disaster.
might have forgotten
/maɪt həv fərˈɡɒtən/
She might have forgotten the meeting.
may have left
/meɪ həv left/
He may have left his phone at home.
can't have / couldn't have (impossibility)
can't have seen
/kɑːnt həv siːn/
You can't have seen her — she's been in Paris all week.
couldn't have done
/ˈkʊdənt həv dʌn/
He couldn't have done it on his own.