PAST MODAL + past participle → "would have done" / "might
have done" / "could have done"
NOTE:
The clauses can be in either order: "If we had won the
contract, we would have made millions." OR "We would
have made millions if we had won the contract."
** In casual conversation, many people use a 'reduced'
past modal in the "IF" clause instead of past perfect:
EXAMPLE: "If you 'woulda' told me you were broke, I 'woulda'
lent you some money."
Jenny didn’t know about the meeting. If she __ (know), she __ (modal + be) there.
have known ... would have been
had known ... would been
had known ... would have been
Taka failed the grammar test yesterday. Maybe he __ (modal + pass) if he __ (study) the night before.
had passed ... would have studied
would have passed ... had studied
would pass ... studied
The baseball game was cancelled. If it __ (not + rain) so hard all day, we __ (modal + play).
didn't rain ... could play
couldn't have rained ... hadn't played
hadn't rained ... could have played
If Rod Stewart __ (not + be) successful as a rock and roll singer, he __ (modal + become) a professional soccer player – he was very talented at both music and soccer.
hadn't been ... might have become
hadn't been ... might had become
wasn't ... might become
Susie bought a cheap laptop. If she __ (have) more money, she definitely __ (modal + buy) an Apple MacBook Air instead.
had had ... would have bought
would have had ... had bought
had ... would have bought
John said to his wife, “I wouldn’t have forgotten the concert tickets if you hadn’t rushed me last night.” DID JOHN LEAVE THE TICKETS AT HOME?
YES, HE DID.
NO, HE DIDN'T.
Miguel said, “If I hadn’t made friends so quickly when I moved to Santa Fe, I probably wouldn’t have stayed there.” DID MIGUEL LEAVE SANTA FE AND MOVE SOMEWHERE ELSE?
YES, HE DID.
NO, HE DIDN'T.
Mike Mullane said he never would have become an astronaut if it hadn’t been for his wife’s love and support. DID MIKE MULLANE BECOME AN ASTRONAUT?
YES, HE DID.
NO, HE DIDN'T.
The Wright Brothers were the first in the world to successfully fly an airplane. If the Wright Brothers had had one more failure, they might have quit. DID THE WRIGHT BROTHERS HAVE ONE MORE FAILURE?
YES, THEY DID.
NO, THEY DIDNT.
You would have visited your former college roommate in the hospital if you had known he was sick. DID YOU VISIT YOUR FRIEND IN THE HOSPITAL?
YES, I DID.
NO, I DIDN'T.
If the weather had been as hot as forecast yesterday, Melissa wouldn’t have walked her dog. DID MELISSA WALK HER DOG YESTERDAY?
YES, SHE DID.
NO, SHE DIDN'T.
I really loved both dresses, but I forgot my credit card, and I was short of cash. If I had had enough cash with me, I __ (modal + buy) both. WHICH MODAL IS BEST BASED ON MEANING?
might have bought
could have bought
should have bought
If we had known that Fran used to be fat, we __ (modal + not + make) those fat jokes about the waitress in front of her. WHICH MODAL IS BEST BASED ON MEANING?
might not have made
couldn't have made
wouldn't have made
I’m not sure what I would have done if I hadn’t been accepted at Stanford. I __ (modal + go) to Cal Tech or Cal State, I guess. WHICH MODAL IS BEST BASED ON MEANING?
