43. Focus on: modals and present perfect phrasal verbs

Remember that the present perfect is formed with have or the contraction 've and the past participle. The only difference is that has is not used for the third person singular:

He has run up a big bill. He would have run up a big bill.

The meanings of the modal and semimodal auxiliaries are unchanged in the present perfect, except for may and might.

Past speculation and you do not know what happened: might have or may have

When discussing something that was possible in the past and you do not know what happened, either might have or may have can be used:

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l wonder where Jim is. He might have stopped off at the bar. I wonder where Jim is. He may have stopped off at the bar.

Because you do not know whether Jim stopped off at the bar, either might have or may have can be used.

Past speculation and you know what happened: only might have

When discussing something that was possible in the past and you know what happened, only might have can be used:

Climbing that tree was stupid. You might have fallen out. Climbing that tree was stupid. You may have fallen out.

Because I know that the person I am talking to did not fall out of the tree, only might have can be used.

1. blow... out p.v. When a flame blows out or is blown out by a strong wind, it stops burning. When you blow out a flame, you use your breath to make the flame stop burning.

Don't open the window — the candles will blow out.

I couldn't light my cigarette; the wind kept blowing the match out.

The stove isn't working. Maybe the pilot light has blown out.

2. blow ...out (of) p.v. When something is moved outward away from where it was by an explosion or a very strong wind, it is blown out or blown out of where it was before.

The force of the explosion blew all the windows out.

Look, there's a dead bird. The wind might have blown it out of its nest.

blowout n. When a tire bursts and suddenly loses its air while you are driving, you have a blowout.

Maria had a blowout while she was driving, lost control of her car, and hit a tree.

3. blow... out p.v. When a piece of electrical equipment or a fuse blows out, it fails because too much electricity is passing through it.

Don't be surprised if the fuse blows out — you have seven lights, your computer, and your TV all plugged into one outlet.

When lightning hit our house, it blew all the telephones out.

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1. give ...out (to) p.v. When you distribute something to other people, you give it out or give it out to them. Hand out is similar to give out.

They gave out free hats to the first 5,000 fans to enter the stadium.

The aid workers would have given more food out to the famine victims, but they didn't have enough.

2. give out (on) p.v. When a mechanical or electrical device stops working, it gives out or gives out on you. When a supply of something is completely used, it gives out or gives out on you.

The explorers tost their way in the desert and died after their water gave out.

I bought a Chevrolet in 1964 and drove it more than 300,000 miles before it finally gave out on me.