Select the most appropriate modal to complete the sentence:
Mummy scolded Aryan, “You ______ turned the gas down when the milk started to bubble. Now look at the stove!”
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 3
The correct answer is Option (3) → should have
Complete sentence: Mummy scolded Aryan, “You should have turned the gas down when the milk started to bubble. Now look at the stove!” Mummy is scolding Aryan, and the dirty stove shows he did not turn the gas down.
| Option | Meaning and use | Example |
|---|---|---|
| (1) must have | with the past participle (V3), a confident guess about the past | He must have left for the station, as his bag is gone. |
| (2) needn’t have | with V3, something was done but was not necessary | You needn’t have brought a gift for us. |
| (3) should have (answer) | should have + V3: the right thing was not done in the past | We should have left home earlier to avoid the traffic. |
| (4) may have | with V3, a possible past action, when we are not sure | I may have left my pen in the library. |