Could be vs could have been

Question

Howdy howdy!Would you please tell me which one is correct or makes sense?I'm wondering whether I could be in love this much If I had been born as a butterfly!I'm wondering whether I could have been in love this much If I was born as a butterfly!The first is mine and the second is my friend's. It's about a girl who wishes she could be a butterfly!Thanks very much in advance.

Gigilian Nguyen · Accepted Answer

I think the second one is right, but if I were your friend, I would like to have the word were instead of was - If I were born as a butterfly.

It's just my thought

Nathan mckane · Answer

Thanks, but would you please explain what is wrong with the first sentence?

I think when somebody wishes he or she could be another person, specially when we are talking about the birth of that person, we have to use the past participle of the verb:

For example:

If I had been born in the U.S, I could now live in, my favorite city, wishington!

And It is something that already has happend and you can't say:

If I were born in the U.S, I could now live in, my favorite city, wishington!

And I don't really think a sentence like this is acceptable grammatically:

If I were born in the U.S, I could have lived in, my favorite city, wishington!

Nathan mckane · Answer

Dear friends, I need to have an answer to this question for tomorrow. Please!

Gigilian Nguyen · Answer

Hi, anyway, I still want to keep my idea: I could have been in love this much, if I were born as a butterfly.

Anonymous · Answer

I'm wondering whether I could have been in love this much If I had been born as a butterfly!

the abv one is right

Could be vs could have been

Top answer

Get the Weekly English Kit 📬

Related Questions