could have been/could be

Question

Is there any shade of meaning between these two sentences?1.The music was so loud it could have been heard for miles.2.The music was so loud it could be heard for miles.

Marius Hancu · Accepted Answer

1.The music was so loud it could have been heard for miles, IF (CONDITION) ..... But it wasn't, if that condition wasn't satisfied.

2.The music was so loud it could be heard for miles.

Ant_222 · Answer

«The music was so loud it could have been heard for miles.» — and one might add: «Thanks *** we were alone on the island and nobody heard it.»

It seems to imply that nobody heard the music in spite of its loudness.

«The music was so loud it could be heard for miles.» — bears no such implications, it might have been heard and not have been heard.

Tarkowsky · Answer

The music was so loud it could be heard for miles.» — bears no such implications, it might have been heard and not have been heard.

Don't you think that this sentence conveys the idea that the music was actually heard miles away?

Ant_222 · Answer

Tarkowsky: «Don't you think that this sentence conveys the idea that the music was actually heard miles away?»

No, just like the following sentence doesn't imly that anyone was killed:

«He was so strong that he could fight against a thousand warriors and and put them into flight!»

«The explosion was so powerful that it could be seen from the Moon» — but there wasn't such an abserver to witness the explosion.

Recluse · Answer

Well, I don't think the first one is correct. When we use "could + have ", the sentences usually are in a subjunctive mood, which means that things aren't real .

e.g If I had come to his house, I could have got some money. ( It showns that I didn't get any money.)

BarbaraPA · Answer

Ant, my native speaker instincts do not agre with you.

If you say "It was so bright, it could be seen from the moon," I would assume there was an observer, or at the very least, a camera on the moon that was able to see it.

"It was so bright, it could have been seen from the moon" carries the implication of "If there was someone on the moon to see it."

If you say the music could be hear for miles (a frightening thought!), then my instincts tell me that someone was there to hear it.

Ant_222 · Answer

GG:

Yes, indeed... I thought about it at night and found my example wrong.

What about this: "The sound of your steps (when someone went through the forest, breaking lots of dry branches...) was so loud that it could be heard a mile away in such a silent wether, so I pray *** we were not spotted. Otherwise they'll catch us in a day or two."

If I use "could have been heard" here I'll inroduce the assumtion that he wasn't heard, so I think I am confined to "could be heard".

Recluse: «...which means that things aren't real»

Yes, and in that case the music's having been heard isn't real, therefore the implication it haven't been heard. But could have been (if there had been a listener withing a range of several miles).

Tarkowsky · Answer

Ant_222GG: Yes, indeed... I thought about it at night and found my example wrong. What about this: "The sound of your steps (when someone went through the forest, breaking lots of dry branches...) was so loud that it could be heard a mile away in such a silent wether, so I pray *** we were not spotted. Otherwise they'll catch us in a day or two." If I use "could have been heard" here I'll inroduce the assumtion that he wasn't heard, so I think I am confined to "could be heard". Recluse: «...which means that things aren't real» Yes, and in that case the music's having been heard isn't real, therefore the implication it haven't been heard. But could have been (if there had been a listener withing a range of several miles).

I think this a more consistent version of your sentence.

The sounds of your steps were so loud that they could be heard a mile away in such a silent weather, so I prayed to *** we would not be spotted and suprisingly we weren't.
Had I not prayed we would have been caught in a day or two.

The meaning of the pink sentences elude me.

Ant_222 · Answer

Yankee:

«I think this a more consistent version of your sentence.»

Thanks, but it has a bit different meaning than mine.

«The sounds of your steps were so loud that they could be heard a mile away in such a silent weather and now (when I have heard how you walk (he broke a couple of dry tweags on the road)) I am_ praying to *** that you _were not heard ystrerday (when the wether was silent and you were crossing the dead (dry) forest. Otherwise they will catch us (in the future).»

Well, my sentence may have somewhat complicated structure, but that's the meaning I wanted to express. And yes, the guy's praying to *** so that He cancells a past event (that probably occured).

«The meaning of the pink sentences elude me.»

I'd be glad to help you catch it (only if you have time for that):

Recluse: «...which means that things aren't real»
Ant_222: «Yes, and in that case the music's having been heard isn't real, therefore the implication it haven't been heard.»

"Could have been" means that something could have happened but didn't. That's what I mean by the unreality of this something's having happened...

Ant222: «But [the sound — Ant] could have been [heard — Ant] (if there had been a listener _within a range of several miles).» — I omitted those words because the last phrase of the preceding sentence was "it haven't been heard". So I thought it should be clear.

Anonymous · Answer

what if we say' he was so strong that he could have fought against a thousand warriors and put them into fight' ?

does it have same meaning?, If not so what change does it make?

your website is a great help.

Thank you so much

could have been/could be

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