Welcome to your MUST / CAN’T lesson! In this topic we talk about:
• MUST and CAN’T in the present.
Take the quizzes when you’re ready! If you’re having problems, use the comment box to contact our English Teachers.
MUST and CAN’T in the present
MUST is used when you believe something is certain:
You live in the mountains? It must be cold up there.
She’s been walking all day, she must be tired.
You think that English breakfast is disgusting? You must be joking.
CAN’T is used when you believe something is not possible:
You’ve had twelve hours sleep, you can’t still be tired!
That restaurant is empty, it can’t be very good.
| I / You / We etc. |
must can’t |
be (joking / going / doing etc.) be (tired / hungry / sad etc.) do / know / say etc. |
MUST and CAN’T in the past
For the past, we use MUST HAVE and CAN’T HAVE:
She didn’t answer her phone, she must have been asleep.
Where are my keys? I must have dropped them.
He didn’t come to the party, he can’t have got the invitation.
They burnt the eggs, they can’t have been concentrating.
| I / You / We etc. |
must can’t |
have |
been (joking / doing / going etc.) been (tired / hungry / sad etc.) done / known / said etc. |
CAN’T HAVE can be replaced by COULDN’T HAVE:
He didn’t come to the party, he couldn’t have got the invitation.
They burnt the eggs, they couldn’t have been concentrating.
Recap
- MUST is used when you believe something is certain.
- CAN’T is used when you believe something is not possible.
- For the past, we use MUST HAVE and CAN’T HAVE.
- CAN’T HAVE can be replaced by COULDN’T HAVE.
