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Pructus Posted 13 years ago
Grammar

Could have done

Hi, Dear Members and Gurus!!

The sentence, "You could have done it"...
Until now, I have understood it to mean "You actually didn't do it, but under some circumstances you were able to do it".

But, can the sentence also be used to mean, "You actually did it"?
  

Top answer

Hi, pructus, pructus But can the sentence also be used to mean "You actually did it"? No, this meaning is not possible. In the right context, it could also mean It is possible that you did it.

— RandomGuy

  • Hi, pructus, pructus But can the sentence also be used to mean "You actually did it"?
  • No, this meaning is not possible.
  • In the right context, it could also mean It is possible that you did it.
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12 Answers
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Hi, pructus,
pructusBut can the sentence also be used to mean "You actually did it"?
No, this meaning is not possible. In the right context, it could also mean It is possible that you did it.
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Thanks so much, Aspara Gus....

How about this passage....

You are afraid of me because you looked within, and are afraid of what you saw. Yet you COULD not have seen reality, for the reality of your mind is the loveliest of ***’s Creations.
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The underlined part, if written into "could not see reality", it means simply "were unable to see reality".
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It means You could not possibly have seen reality; It is not possible that what you saw was reality.
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Thanks again, Aspara Gus...

If it means what you explained...
Aspara GusIt means You could not possibly have seen reality; It is not possible that what you saw was reality.
Then, why it was not written, "you could not see reality"?
Why "could not have seen", instead of "could not see"?
This part is really confusing to non-natives....
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pructusWhy "could not have seen", instead of "could not see"?
They have different meanings. As you said, could not see reality would mean were unable to see reality.
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Oh, Aspara Gus!!
Thanks so much...
I am starting to get the grasp of this one....

(A) "You could not have seen reality" means "It is not possible that what you saw was reality".
(B) "You could not see reality" means "You were unable to see reality"?
*** ***
So, (A) means that even if you saw something, the possibility of your having seen reality is very low.
(B
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pructusThe sentence, "You could have done it"...Until now, I have understood it to mean "You actually didn't do it, but under some circumstances you were able to do it".But, can the sentence also be used to mean, "You actually did it"?
Completely independent of the discussion you're having here, which I don't wish to interrupt, note that "You could have done i
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Oh, CalifJim!!

Wow!!....
Thanks so much for the confirmation.
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pructusSo, (A) means that even if you saw something, the possibility of your having seen reality is very low.
Not quite. You did see something, but there is no possibility that what you saw was reality.
pructus(B) means simply that it was not possible for you to see reality, whatever the reason for your not seeing reality
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good evening sir, Your answers really clear all doubts. salutations.

MSoni
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