Everyone loves a good mystery.
We love to imagine what might have happened, who could have done it, and there's no better feeling than finally cracking the case.
Today we're going to focus on language that you can use to speculate about the past.
Do you remember Craig from my episode on Just?
He was having a wedding party and he wanted Marco to make a few changes.
Well, something terrible has happened.
Listen to the language that Craig uses to try to get to the bottom of the mystery.
Oh, Sharon, you'll never guess what has happened.
The place, it's ruined.
There's rubbish everywhere.
The drapes have been torn.
The mirrors have been shattered.
It couldn't have been the dog.
He's with you.
It could have been Marco.
I know he was angry, but no, he wouldn't go that far.
Might have been the maid, but no, she's lovely.
She wouldn't have done this.
Oh, there's feathers by the vent shaft.
Oh, a bird must have flown in.
What kind of bird couldn't have done all this?
It had to have been something else.
But what?
Before we start solving the mystery, let's take a look at the language that Craig used to speculate about what might have happened.
When he is sure that it wasn't the dog, he says, It couldn't have been the dog.
This has a structure couldn't, plus have, plus the past participle.
Here it's been.
Notice that could and not are contracted.
And have is in the weak form.
It's not stressed.
So we say couldn't have.
When Craig thinks there's a small chance that it was Marco, he says it could have been Marco.
And then when he thinks there's a small chance that it was the maid, he says it might have been the maid.
So when Marco is certain that a bird flew in, he says, a bird must have flown in.
Notice that we're not using been here, we're using flown.
Of course, you can use any past participle verb you want.
And when he is certain that the bird didn't cause all the chaos, he says it had to have been something else.
Notice here that have is not contracted, but it is in the weak form. had to have been.
So, okay, what actually did happen?
Craig called the security guard afterwards.
And here's what he said.
Hi, I'm so sorry.
We meant to call you, but we've been so busy.
I was called up to your apartment by your neighbor.
She said she heard noises coming from inside.
The moment I opened the door, this little cat springs out.
I had no idea how it got in.
I'm sorry.
It's all a mystery.
A cat?
Wow.
Some new piece of information.
Use models of deduction to speculate about what might have happened.
So we've got a cat, a bird, feathers by the vent shaft, the drapes are torn, the mirrors are shattered.
Oh yeah, and there's rubbish everywhere.
Hmm.
Do you need more time?
I'll give you five more seconds.
So, here's what happened.
It was the neighbor's cat and the poor cat was hungry.
It saw the bird flying by the vent shaft rubbed its hands together with glee, started chasing the bird.
The bird flew into the apartment.
The cat followed the bird then all hell let loose.
Do you remember those standing mirrors?
One bird became six birds, reflected in all the mirrors, flying around the room.
The cat thought it had won the cat lottery.
It started running around, destroying everything.
And the bird flew out, and the cat was still in the room.
So when the security guard opened the door, outruns the cat.
So, next time you have a mystery, you'll know exactly what to say.
