Fill in the blank with the most appropriate modal:
The thief ______ entered through the kitchen window. It has iron grills, and they are not even scratched.
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 3
The correct answer is Option (3) → can’t have
Complete sentence: The thief can’t have entered through the kitchen window. It has iron grills, and they are not even scratched. The unscratched grills make the speaker sure that the thief did not come in that way.
| Option | Meaning and use | Example |
|---|---|---|
| (1) must have | with the past participle (V3), the speaker is sure a past action did happen | The ground under the mango tree is covered with fruit, so the wind must have been strong last night. |
| (2) might have | with V3, a past action possibly happened, but the speaker is not sure | Sonu might have dropped his ticket on the platform. |
| (3) can’t have (answer) | can’t have + V3: the speaker is sure a past action did not happen | Amit can’t have written this letter, as he was in Shimla all month. |
| (4) needn’t have | with V3, someone did something that was not necessary | You needn’t have ironed my shirt, because I am wearing a T-shirt today. |