Express inference without turning it into a fact
Wie sicher ist eine Aussage?
Distinguish epistemic readings of modal verbs from obligations and preserve uncertainty when reformulating.
Modal verbs can evaluate the likelihood of a proposition instead of regulating an action. Das dürfte reichen expresses a cautious expectation; das muss ein Fehler sein presents a strong inference. Neither sentence necessarily reports a verified fact. Das muss bis Freitag fertig sein normally expresses an obligation instead. Context determines the reading. Sie soll die Studie geleitet haben reports what is said about her; sie will die Studie geleitet haben attributes the claim to her. These reporting uses do not by themselves prove truth or falsehood. With a past event, the infinitive perfect appears after the modal: dürfte angekommen sein, muss vergessen haben. Avoid assigning fixed percentages to these expressions: confidence also depends on context, intonation and the available evidence.
Die Datei dürfte während der Übertragung beschädigt worden sein.
The file was probably damaged during transmission.
Es muss einen anderen Zugang gegeben haben.
There must have been another route of access.
Die Leiterin soll bereits am Montag informiert worden sein.
The manager is said to have been informed as early as Monday.
Der Anbieter will die Störung inzwischen behoben haben.
The provider claims to have fixed the fault by now.
Das könnte erklären, weshalb die Werte voneinander abweichen.
That could explain why the values differ.
Eine plausible Vermutung ist noch kein gesicherter Befund.
A plausible hypothesis is not yet an established finding.
Modal verbs can evaluate the likelihood of a proposition instead of regulating an action. Das dürfte reichen expresses a cautious expectation; das muss ein Fehler sein presents a strong inference. Neither sentence necessarily reports a verified fact. Das muss bis Freitag fertig sein normally expresses an obligation instead. Context determines the reading. Sie soll die Studie geleitet haben reports what is said about her; sie will die Studie geleitet haben attributes the claim to her. These reporting uses do not by themselves prove truth or falsehood. With a past event, the infinitive perfect appears after the modal: dürfte angekommen sein, muss vergessen haben. Avoid assigning fixed percentages to these expressions: confidence also depends on context, intonation and the available evidence.
Distinguish epistemic readings of modal verbs from obligations and preserve uncertainty when reformulating.
Er muss gegangen sein is a strong inference about the past, not the same as Er musste gehen, which states a past necessity.
Ask: obligation, possibility, inference or attributed claim? For past inference: modal + participle + haben/sein. Preserve the source and degree of certainty.
Write 250–300 German words assessing the incident in the source below. Separate observed facts, attributed statements and plausible hypotheses. Use dürfte, muss … sein and soll … haben appropriately, then explain why none replaces an investigation. Give a two-minute oral briefing with a cautious recommendation.