What does the underlined modal show in the sentence below?
Half the cake is gone, and there are crumbs on Chintu’s shirt. He must have eaten it while we were out.
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 1
The correct answer is Option (1) → a confident guess about the past
The clues are the missing cake and the crumbs on Chintu’s shirt. Nobody saw him eat it, but the speaker is almost sure.
| Option | Meaning and use | Example |
|---|---|---|
| (1) a confident guess about the past (answer) | must have + past participle (V3): the speaker is almost sure about something that happened in the past | Tara’s eyes are red, so she must have stayed up late. |
| (2) a necessity or duty | a duty; nobody had a duty to eat the cake, and here the speaker is working out what happened | All visitors must sign the register at the gate. |
| (3) strong advice | tells someone what to do; the sentence does not tell anyone what to do | You must read this novel during the holidays. |
| (4) a possible past action (not sure) | a guess that is not sure takes may have or might have; here the clues make the speaker almost sure | Riya may have missed the bus, as she is usually here by now. |