B2–C1 · GFB · 20 patterns

Modal scope and past inference

Compare how English and German express modal scope and past inference. Practise reusable constructions with Russian translations.

01 · How to use this set

Start from the communication job

Compare how English and German express modal scope and past inference. Practise reusable constructions with Russian translations.

Read the frame, try to complete your own sentence before opening an example, then compare the English structure with its German parallel. The point is retrieval and choice, not passive list reading.

02 · Representative patterns

Start with these reusable frames

A compact sample from the 20 patterns in this study set.

01Subject + need not have + past participleYou needn't have brought any food; we had plenty. · German parallel: Subject + hätte(n) + ... + nicht + infinitive + müssen 02Subject + did not need to + infinitive, so + past outcomeI didn't need to book, so I just turned up. · German parallel: Subject + musste(n) nicht + infinitive, also + past outcome 03Subject + must have been + -ing + past contextHe must have been joking when he said that. · German parallel: Subject + muss/müssen + ... + participle + haben/sein 04Subject + cannot have been + -ing; evidenceShe can't have been listening; she missed the question. · German parallel: Subject + kann/können nicht + ... + participle + haben/sein 05Subject + may have been + -ingShe may have been trying to protect you. · German parallel: Subject + könnte(n) + ... + participle + haben/sein 06Subject + should have been + -ing + instead of + -ingI should have been studying instead of watching videos. · German parallel: Subject + hätte(n) + infinitive + sollen, statt + zu-infinitive

03 · Complete set

Browse every pattern

The canonical list follows below. Every pattern has a stable ID and its own page for examples, translation, and reuse.

01Subject + need not have + past participleGFB001 · Subject + need not have + past participle / Subject + hätte(n) + ... + nicht + infinitive + müssen 02Subject + did not need to + infinitive, so + past outcomeGFB002 · Subject + did not need to + infinitive, so + past outcome / Subject + musste(n) nicht + infinitive, also + past outcome 03Subject + must have been + -ing + past contextGFB003 · Subject + must have been + -ing + past context / Subject + muss/müssen + ... + participle + haben/sein 04Subject + cannot have been + -ing; evidenceGFB004 · Subject + cannot have been + -ing; evidence / Subject + kann/können nicht + ... + participle + haben/sein 05Subject + may have been + -ingGFB005 · Subject + may have been + -ing / Subject + könnte(n) + ... + participle + haben/sein 06Subject + should have been + -ing + instead of + -ingGFB006 · Subject + should have been + -ing + instead of + -ing / Subject + hätte(n) + infinitive + sollen, statt + zu-infinitive 07Subject + could have been + past participle + means/contextGFB007 · Subject + could have been + past participle + means/context / Subject + hätte(n) + participle + werden können 08Subject + might have been + past participleGFB008 · Subject + might have been + past participle / Subject + könnte(n) + participle + worden sein 09Subject + should have been + past participle + timeGFB009 · Subject + should have been + past participle + time / Subject + hätte(n) + participle + werden sollen 10Subject + must have been + past participle; evidenceGFB010 · Subject + must have been + past participle; evidence / Subject + muss/müssen + participle + worden sein; evidence 11Subject + was/were supposed to have + past participle + by + deadlineGFB011 · Subject + was/were supposed to have + past participle + by + deadline / Subject + sollte(n) + bis + deadline + participle + haben/sein 12Subject + may well + infinitive, but + qualificationGFB012 · Subject + may well + infinitive, but + qualification / Es ist gut möglich, dass + clause, aber + qualification 13Subject + might as well + infinitive; reasonGFB013 · Subject + might as well + infinitive; reason / Subject + können + genauso gut + infinitive; reason 14Subject + cannot be too + adjective + contextGFB014 · Subject + cannot be too + adjective + context / Subject + kann/können nicht + adjective + genug + sein 15This/That + need not mean + finite clauseGFB015 · This/That + need not mean + finite clause / Das + muss nicht bedeuten, dass + clause 16Subject + may not have + past participleGFB016 · Subject + may not have + past participle / Vielleicht + haben/sein + subject + nicht + participle 17Subject + would not + infinitive + past contextGFB017 · Subject + would not + infinitive + past context / Subject + wollte(n) nicht + infinitive 18Subject + should know better than to + infinitiveGFB018 · Subject + should know better than to + infinitive / Subject + sollte(n) wissen, dass + subject + nicht + ... + darf/dürfen 19Subject + had better not + bare infinitiveGFB019 · Subject + had better not + bare infinitive / Subject + sollte(n) + lieber nicht + infinitive 20How + was/were + subject + to know + embedded clause?GFB020 · How + was/were + subject + to know + embedded clause? / Woher + sollte(n) + subject + wissen, dass + clause?