Contracting modal verbs

could have – should have – would have

These auxiliary verbs, or ‘helping’ verbs, are a type called modal verbs. They can
be used to express meanings of certainty, ability or obligation. Auxiliary verbs
need to be used together with a main verb to express things that might happen or
things that should have happened.
For example:
a) I should have washed the car today.
b) I could have arrived on time if I had caught the earlier bus.
c) I would have won the race had I not tripped over my shoe
lace!

The word ‘have’ can be contracted to ‘ve. However, many people

often misspell these modal verbs when they are writing the
contraction and write what they hear. For example, they might
write could of instead of the correct formation of these modal verbs
which is could’ve.
could of x could’ve 
should of x should’ve 
would of x would’ve 

Modal verbs – practice exercises

Fill in the missing verbs for the following sentences using the modal verbs in full:

could have – should have – would have

1) I swum further if I had not felt so tired.

2) I tidied my room today but I forgot.

3) We played outside but we played inside because it was

raining.
4) They tidied up their mess.

5) I finished my painting sooner had I not spilt the paint.

6) Her own jokes were so funny, she laughed out loud.

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 Contracting modal verbs

Modal verbs – contractions

Fill in the contracted verb for the following sentences. For example, instead of
writing: could have – should have – would have

this time you will write:

could’ve – should’ve – would’ve

7) He recited his 7 times tables in under a minute if he had

practised more.

8) They been scared if they had seen a one eyed monster in

front of them.

9) She listened more to the teacher and then she would not
have got into trouble.

10) We won the lottery if our numbers had been drawn!

11) You handed this homework in last Friday.

12) Do you think this been where they hid the treasure?

Now have a go at writing three sentences of your own using the contracted verbs.

Make sure you have learnt never to write could of – should of – would of x
but always to write could’ve – should’ve – would’ve 

1) ..................................................................................................

.........................................................................................................

2) ....................................................................................................

.........................................................................................................

3) ..................................................................................................

.........................................................................................................

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 Contracting modal verbs

Modal verbs – practice exercises

Answers to practice exercises for pupils to self-assess

1. could have
2. should have
3. would have
4. should have
5. would have
6. could have
7. could’ve
8. would’ve
9. should’ve
10. would’ve
11. should’ve
12. could’ve

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