Could have.

CAN AND COULD

û Can and could: ability

Present

We use can to talk about present or ‘general’ ability.

Look! I can do it!

I can read Italian, but I can’t speak it.

Future

We normally use will be able to to talk about future ability.

I’ll be able to speak good French in a few months.

One day people will be able to go to the moon on holiday.

However, we use can if we are deciding now about the future.

I haven’t got time today, but I can see you tomorrow.

Can you come to a party on Saturday?

Past

We use could for ‘general ability’ – to say that somebody could do something at any time, whenever he/she wanted. (was/were able is also possible.)

She could / was able to read when she was four.

My father could speak ten languages.

We do not normally use could to say that somebody managed to do something on one occasion. Instead, we use was/were able, managed or succuded (in... doing).

How many eggs were able to get?

I managed t o find a really nice dress in the sale.

After six hours’ climbing, we succeded in getting to the top of the mountain.

4. could for particular occasions in the past

In certain cases, it is possible to use could to say that some body was able to do something on one occasion. This happen with see, hear, taste, feel, smell, understand, remember and guess.

I could smell burning.

I could understand everything he said.

It also happens in some subordinate clauses: I’m glad that you could come.

In negative clauses, and with negative or limiting adverbs like only and hardly, we also use could to refer to one occasion.

I managed to find the street, but I couldn’t find her house.

I could only get six eggs.

She could hardly believe her eyes.

Conditional

We can use could to mean ‘would be able’.

You could get a better job if you spoke a foreign language.

This structure can be used to criticise people for not doing things.

You could ask me before you borrow my car.

could have...

We use a special atructure to talk about ubrealised past ability – to say that some body was able to do something, but did not try to do it.

Could have + past participle

I could have married anybody I wanted to.

I was so angry I coud have killed her!

Thisstructure can be used to criticise people for not doing things.

You could have helped me – why did you just sit and watch?

Negative sentences suggest that somebody would not have been able to do something even if they had wanted or tried to.

I couldn’t have won, so I didn’t go in for the race.

I couldn’t have enjoyed myself more – it was a perfect day.

û can and could: possibility and probability

Can is used mostly to talk about ‘theoretical’ or ‘general’ possibility, not about the chances that something will actually happen or is actually true at this moment (this meaning is usually expressed by may, might or could).

Дата добавления: 2015-11-16