Fill in the blank with the most appropriate modal:
Riya bought three new notebooks for the term. She ______ have bought them, because the school gave every student a free set the next day.
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 1
The correct answer is Option (1) → needn’t
Complete sentence: Riya bought three new notebooks for the term. She needn’t have bought them, because the school gave every student a free set the next day. Riya did buy the notebooks. Then the school gave everyone a free set, so buying them was not needed.
| Option | Meaning and use | Example |
|---|---|---|
| (1) needn’t (answer) | needn’t have + past participle (V3): an action that was done in the past but was not necessary | We needn’t have carried umbrellas, because it did not rain at all. |
| (2) mustn’t | shows that something is not allowed | You mustn’t use your phone in the exam hall. |
| (3) can’t | “can’t have + V3” shows that we are sure something did not happen | Kabir can’t have finished that thick novel in one night. |
| (4) daren’t | means does not have the courage to do something | I daren’t ask the coach for another day off. |