Past Modals of Deduction - Grammar Question Practice
Practise past modals of deduction through personal questions and paired speaking at B2 level. Includes a model exchange, follow-up support and a communicative task; answers are open-ended.
What’s in the worksheet?
- Model exchange
- Topic-based partner questions
- Follow-up support
- Communicative pair practice
Use clues to make and revise deductions about past events.
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A simple way to teach it
Before the lesson
Use the single learner page in pairs. Personal or invented responses can vary; there is no fixed answer key.
- Link Jo's bag and coat to the opening deductions, noting which conclusions are strong or tentative.
- Discuss the parcel, message, footprints, meal and travel clues; offer more than one explanation where evidence is incomplete.
- Create a harmless mystery with three clues, rule out one explanation, then reveal a final clue so partners can revise their conclusions.
Support and extension
Use modal + have + past participle. Must have signals confidence, not proof; couldn't have is a valid negative deduction where the evidence supports it.
Suggested approach. Adjust the pace and number of questions to suit your class.
