Grammar Level 3- Lesson Fourteen
In this grammar lesson, you learn about Perfect Modals Continuous in English and how to use it in your English conversation and writing. Just follow examples and write them down a few times to learn them very well. After finishing this lesson, you should work on its quiz.
Grammar Recap
In our previous lesson, we covered the Present Perfect Continuous If you just landed on this page, we suggest that you complete our previous lesson including its quizzes before continuing on this lesson.
Requirement Lessons
There is no required lessons for working and learning this lesson.
Perfect Modal Verbs — continuous
could should would may might must + have been ______ing
I could have been relaxing at home if I didn’t have to work today.
They should have been doing their homework at the time that I called.
He would have been working at that company if he hadn’t been laid off.
You might have been thinking I was much older.
This is a difficult modal form for beginning and intermediate level students. In this case, you’re describing something that was possible in the past; however; another event emerged and forever altered the past. Don’t worry about mastering this right now, but listen to how Americans use it–whether correctly or not.
This penguin could have been swimming in Antarctica today if he hadn’t been captured there two years ago. penguin swimming
They should have been taking a test but instead they skipped school and went to a malt shop.
He would have been working in a bank if he hadn’t decided to become a beekeeper.
He might have been thinking it was earlier. Now he realizes he’s late for a meeting.
(This helps describe problems with perception of time.)
To make the negative, add “not” to the modal:
I shouldn’t have been working so late last night. (but I did)
For more practice, go to this listening exercise.
Quiz for Perfect Modals Continuous
Now that you learned your new lesson, it is time to go to the Perfect Modals Continuous page and finish your quiz. While working on your quiz, you can always go back to its lesson to refresh your memory.
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Next Grammar Lesson
In our next lesson, we will cover the Past Perfect Before moving to the next lesson, we suggest that you complete this lesson including its quizzes.
Related Grammar Lessons
None
Grammar Level 3 Outline
If you wish to explore all lessons that are covered in HiCafe Grammar Level 3, you can visit the Grammar Level 3 Outline page.
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