modals of advise

Advisability in the Past

Home Alone

7

Focus on Grammar 4Part VII, Unit 16By Ruth Luman, Gabriele Steiner, and BJ WellsCopyright © 2006. Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.

Home Alone 1

Joe and Amy have been married less than a year.

Last month, Amy’s mother hadan operation. . .

. . .so Amy went back to her hometown to take care of her.

When Amy returned, the house wasa mess!

Home Alone 2

You shouldn’t have gone away.You could have stayed at home.You should have taken care of me,not left me on my own.

You could have paid the phone bill.You ought to have fed the cat!You might have taken out the trash.What’s so hard about that?

Home Alone 3

You’ve made it very clear.I really need a maid.Go back to your mother’s, dear.That’s where you should have stayed.

You should have done the laundry.You might have washed the car!At least you could have mowed the lawn.SPOILED! Is what you are!

Modals of Advisability

Use modals to talk about actions and states that were advisable in the past, but did not happen.

should haveought to havecould havemight have

You should have done the laundry.

+ past participle

Contractions

Use contractions in informal writing and speaking.

Joe could have mowed the lawn.

He might have washed the car.

You should not have gone away.

Joe could’ve

He might’ve

You shouldn’t

Negative Statements

Use should not have and ought not to have for negative statements.

You shouldn’t have goneshouldn’t have gone away.

Amy ought not to haveought not to have left.

Practice 1

Robbery at 1301 Maple Street, June 7, 2005. Estimated loss: Substantial. No forced entry. No alarm. Door opened with key found under welcome mat. Neighbors report empty garbage cans at curb for several days. Lawn overgrown. Newspapers piled up on front steps. Curtains open and electronic equipment visible from street. Car unlocked.

Read the police report about a robbery. Discuss what this family should or shouldn’t have done.

Example: They shouldn’t have put a key under the mat. That’s the obvious place to look.

QuestionsShould have is the most common form used in questions.

Should Amy have stayed

at home?

Should Joe have done

the laundry?

Short AnswersUse the modal and have to make short answers.

Should Amy have stayed

at home?

Should Joe have done

the laundry?

Yes, she should have.

No, he shouldn’t

have.

Joe might of taken out the trash.

Pronunciation 1In informal speech, have in modal phrases is often pronounced like the word of.

Do not write of instead of have.

Joe might have taken out the trash.

Joe ought toought to have fed the cat.

Pronunciation 2In informal speech, to in ought to is pronounced like the word a.

He ought toought to have trimmed the hedge.

Practice 2 Here are some problems you faced yesterday morning. What should you have done?

Example: You overslept and were late to work.

I ought to have set the alarm.

I might have gone to bed earlier.

I shouldn’t have gone to that party!

1. According to the scale, you gained five pounds.

4. You couldn’t find the car keys.

3. There was no hot water.

5. You forgot to feed the dog.

2. You had no clean socks.

References

Copyright © 2006 Pearson Education and its licensors. All rights reserved.