Hi there!
Modals with verbs in the perfective aspects are used pretty often to talk about lost opportunities (I should've accepted his offer), regrets (I realize I shouldn't have bought such a big and expensive house!), making guesses about the past (She looks devastated, she might have been dumped by her boyfriend) and it is the structure we employ when using the third conditional (If I had known I would be made redundant, I definitely wouldn't have taken out the mortgage!).
The guy in the video explains it pretty eloquently:
I don't think it is a particularly complicated structure to learn but, as I usually say, it is not about learning something, it is about using it. Therefore, you need to make sure that whenever you may need to talk about lost opportunities, unmet conditions, regrets, wrong decisions, right decisions you didn't make or guesses about past incidents or states (maybe not very often in your everyday communication!), this structure will pop up in your head first and then the right words will come out of your mouth!
Have a look at the following links as well:
And remember, practice makes perfect!
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