Could have been or Had been

Question

I have read this sentence which has confused me.
"After few days I noticed the windows could not have been cleaned for months"

I think it should be "windows had not been cleaned for months"

Because it is written by a british so I am not sure it is wrong or not?

What do you guys think?

Blue Jay · Accepted Answer

Your version would be more usual, but I wouldn't object to the original.

Blue Jay · Answer

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Fivejedjon · Answer

The original has the idea of 'It was not possible that they had been cleaned'.

CalifJim · Answer

Muhammad Tahir 8125I think it should be "windows had not been cleaned for months"

Only if that's what it's supposed to mean.

The windows had not been cleaned. (I know that no one had cleaned the windows.)
The windows could not have been cleaned. (I conclude from my observation of the current state of the windows and from logical reasoning that no one had cleaned the windows.)

The fact is about the same in both statements, but the implication of how the speaker comes to know the fact is different.

CJ

Could have been or Had been

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