Past Modal Verbs of Deduction — Exercise 3
Use the verbs in brackets to finish the sentences in the past modal verb form.
Hi Team, I’ve reviewed what happened yesterday, and there are a few things we can reasonably guess. When the server stopped responding, the IT team (be) under a lot of pressure. The error message disappeared suddenly, so someone (restart) the system without informing us. Since no alert was sent, they (notice) the warning signs earlier. John arrived late to the meeting, so he (miss) the first email update. However, he knew most of the details, which means he (read) the shared document later. The client sounded surprised on the call. They (expect) such a long delay. Given their reaction, they (plan) their schedule differently. The report was incomplete, so it (prepare) in a hurry. Some data was missing, which means the analyst (forget) to include the final figures. No one replied after 6 p.m., so the team (leave) the office by then. Still, the lights were on in one room, so someone (stay) late to fix the issue. The backup failed as well. It (run) properly overnight.Otherwise, the files (restore) automatically. This problem was serious, but it (avoid) with better communication. With clearer procedures, the delay (seem) less confusing to everyone involved. Best regards,Alex