Friday, 16 October 2020

Common errors in English: Usage of Modal/Infinitive do and rain.

Modal + perfect infinitive


Incorrect : You should do it yesterday. 


Correct : You should have done it yesterday.


Incorrect: It might rain last night. 


Correct . It might have rained last night.


Note: Some modals appear to have past tense forms (could, should, might) but these are not usually used with a past meaning in a simple sentence. These verbs are followed by a perfect infinitive to talk about the past. One exception is ‘could’ which can be used with a past meaning with a past time reference. 


For example:

I could swim at the age of five.