CoCap
CoCap
Modals · CEFR B2 · Confident
A conclusion about the past drawn from evidence. Must have is near-certain yes; can't have is near-certain no.
The shape
must have / can't have / couldn't have + third form
Work out what happened from the evidence.
In Hindi
सबूत से बीती बात का अंदाज़ा। must have यानी ज़रूर हुआ होगा, can't have यानी हो ही नहीं सकता।
CoCap explains every structure in both languages, because a rule you understand in Hindi is a rule you can use in English.
The sentence Indian-English speakers actually produce, and the reason it is wrong.
| Commonly said | Correct English |
|---|---|
He must not have taken the keys — they are still here. | He can't have taken the keys — they are still here. For "it is impossible", English says "can't have", not "must not have". |
These come first. The rest of this makes more sense once they are automatic.
Close enough to be mixed up with this one. Knowing the difference is most of knowing either.
Where this structure sits in the ladder, and what surrounds it.
must have / can't have is a CEFR B2 structure — the confident band — and it belongs to modals. CoCap’s syllabus files every structure this way so you can learn in order instead of jumping between whatever a search happened to return.
CoCap turns this page into practice: Hindi sentence in, English sentence out, corrected one thing at a time. Free, no card.
Practise the must have / can't have →