Many
modal verbs have a past tense form. Here are some of
them.
Modal
Past tense form
can
could
will
would
may
might
shall
/ should
should
is going to
was/were going to
(be) able to
was/were able to
have to
had to
Pancakes can be made on
a stove.
They could have been made in the oven, but they
wouldn't have turned out so good.
(possibility)
Bikes may be ridden on this bike path.
Earlier, these bikes might have been
ridden through the
streets of Minneapolis.
(permission is given)
Flowers will be grown in my garden again this summer.
Corn would have been grown last
summer, but corn stalks take up too much space.
Her work has to be done by tomorrow or she'll get in trouble
with her boss.
It had to have been done by
yesterday, but her boss gave her extra time to finish it.
Something should be done about global warming or else some
types of penguins will perish from the earth.
Something should have been done many years ago but wasn't.
A lot of cows can be raised on
a productive farm.
Corn could have been raised instead,
but this farmer decided to grow grass. Smart man!
Remember:
Modal verbs in the past tense describe something that
was or wasn't done. What makes the use of modal verbs so
difficult in these examples is that they're being used
in the passive voice.