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Question

Difficulty: MediumModal Auxiliaries and Expressing Modality

Complete the sentence below by filling in the blank with the most appropriate modal verb phrase to express a past unfulfilled obligation.

Answer:The diplomatic envoys 【should have】 submitted their security credentials prior to entering the summit, but they completely ignored the directive.

Answer

should have / ought to have
The sentence requires expressing a past obligation that was not carried out. The modal constructions 'should have' and 'ought to have', when paired with the past participle 'submitted', express that an action was expected in the past but was neglected.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Identify the contextual meaning and time frame of the sentence.
The clause 'but they completely ignored the directive' indicates that the requirement existed in the past but was not fulfilled.
The sentence context demands a modal expression of past unfulfilled obligation.
2
Select the correct grammatical structure for past unfulfilled obligation.
The structure required is 'should have' or 'ought to have' followed by the past participle 'submitted'.
Combining 'should' or 'ought to' with the perfect auxiliary 'have' correctly conveys that an expected past action was omitted.

Key Concept

Expressing Past Unfulfilled Obligation with Modal Auxiliaries
Estimated Time:1m 0s
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Topics

Modal Auxiliaries and Expressing Modality

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