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Anonymous Posted 19 years ago
Grammar

could

0Can you help me for the following please?02br
02br
01b00Kim: Excuse me, I missed the meeting yesterday.02b02br
02br
01b00Allen : Yes, but you ---------- a taxi.02b02br
02br
01b00a) could take b) could have taken02b02br
02br
00Is 01b00a)02b00 wrong in this sentence? Can we use "could" for past abilities. (for example: " you could do that if you wanted to....")0-
  

Top answer

0 No, could on its own relates to future possibilities. Both of your examples need 'could have' to place them in the past. 0-

— Nona the brit

  • 0 No, could on its own relates to future possibilities.
  • Both of your examples need 'could have' to place them in the past.
  • 0-
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5 Answers
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0 No, could on its own relates to future possibilities. Both of your examples need 'could have' to place them in the past. 0-
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0 01blockquote
01cite10Anonymous12cite10Can you help me for the following please?12br
12br
11b10Kim: Excuse me, I missed the meeting yesterday.12b12br
12br
11b10Allen : Yes, but you ---------- a taxi.12b12br
12br
11b10a) could take b) could have ta
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0
0"Could" is the past form of the modal verb can. Modal verbs convey "mood" or idea. Unlike other verbs modals do not have continuous or perfect aspect (He is coulding / He has coulden). In the sentence "Yes, but you could have taken a taxi." could conveys the meaning of possibility (it was possible for you to catch a taxi and, therefore, attend the meeting). The main verb is "take"02br
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0Ok, I should have said that 01b00in this context02b00, 'could' on its own can only relate to future possiblilies. It can't be used to refer to past ones. 02br
02br
00Strange answer though altogether as she doesn't say why she missed the meeting - perhaps she was ill!0-
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0 01blockquote
01cite10Nona The Brit12cite10 11<>10Ok, I should have said that 11b10in this context12b10, 'could' on its own can only relate to future possiblilies. It can't be used to refer to past ones.12br
12br
1212blockquote
10I agree. 0-
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