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Whatchadoin Posted 14 years ago
Grammar

Could have

We use the third conditional to talk about things in the past that could have happened but they didn't.
We use the third conditional to talk about things in the past that could happen but they didn't.

The first one is correct? Thanks.
  

Top answer

whatchadoin The first one is correct? Yes, for the grammar, but no for the possibility of happening: it could or it could not have been possible. If I had been President, I would have stopped the war.

— Mister Micawber

  • whatchadoin The first one is correct?
  • Yes, for the grammar, but no for the possibility of happening: it could or it could not have been possible.
  • If I had been President, I would have stopped the war.
  • Me, President?
  • Not a chance.
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3 Answers
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whatchadoinThe first one is correct?
Yes, for the grammar, but no for the possibility of happening: it could or it could not have been possible.

If I had been President, I would have stopped the war. Me, President? Not a chance.
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I heard a sentence like this one "We use the third conditional to talk about things in the past that could happen but they didn't."

Did the speaker say 'could' because his English was bad?
Why is 'could' wrong here?
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whatchadoinDid the speaker say 'could' because his English was bad?
I don't know.
whatchadoinWhy is 'could' wrong here?
Because if it could happen, then there us still a possibility of it happening, however remote that possibility might be. But, with a third conditional, there is no possibility of it happening. So, 'c
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