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Tenjing Posted 12 years ago
Grammar
could have
I could have arrested you but I didn't. Can we ask a question with 'could have' with this meaning( something was possible but didn't happen)? Like: could you have arrested me?(the meaning is, was it possible for you to arrest me but you didn't) Is this question correct with the meaning? I am confused because, 'could he have mad a mistake?' Could mean, 'is it possible that he made a mistake?'
Please help.
Please help.
Top answer
I could have arrested you but I didn't. Could you have arrested me? Could he have made a mistake?
- I could have arrested you but I didn't.
- Could you have arrested me?
- Could he have made a mistake?
- These are all correct.
- In the first two, "could" denotes possibility/ability in the sense that someone was able to do something but didn't.
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5 Answers
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I could have arrested you but I didn't.
Could you have arrested me?
Could he have made a mistake?
These are all correct. In the first two, "could" denotes possibility/ability in the sense that someone was able to do something but didn't. In the last one it denotes possibility in the sense that we are uncertain whether something happened. This difference is
Could you have arrested me?
Could he have made a mistake?
These are all correct. In the first two, "could" denotes possibility/ability in the sense that someone was able to do something but didn't. In the last one it denotes possibility in the sense that we are uncertain whether something happened. This difference is
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By the way, I meant to give an ambiguous example, such as "Could they have arrested him?" Perhaps they had the ability to arrest him but didn't, or perhaps we don't know whether they arrested him. Only context will decide.
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1. Could he have made a mistake?
a) Dynamic 'could': Did he have the ability to make a mistake?
b) Epistemic 'could': Is it possible (that it is true) that he made a mistake?
2. Could you have arrested me?
a) Dynamic 'could': Did you have the ability (and/or authority) to arrest me?
b) Epistemic 'could': Is it possible (that it is true) that you arrested
a) Dynamic 'could': Did he have the ability to make a mistake?
b) Epistemic 'could': Is it possible (that it is true) that he made a mistake?
2. Could you have arrested me?
a) Dynamic 'could': Did you have the ability (and/or authority) to arrest me?
b) Epistemic 'could': Is it possible (that it is true) that you arrested
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Thanks a lot, Califjim and GPY. It is the confusion I have been trying to figure out for a long time. I am clear now. *** bless both of you.
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