0
Prolider Posted 14 years ago
Vocabulary

COULD HAVE vs COULD OF

*Hi there!* Would someone please help me understand why such a great number of englishmen write *"should of"*, *"would of"* or *"could of"*, when I would think the correct form would always be *"should have"*; as in the following phrase: *"I should have known better."*

Is this proper english English? =)

*Thanks in advance!*
  

Top answer

Hi, prolider! Thanks for joining, and welcome! You are correct.

  • Hi, prolider!
  • Thanks for joining, and welcome!
  • You are correct.
  • "Would of", "could of", etc.
  • is always wrong.
Free · every Monday

Get the Weekly English Kit 📬

New words, one handy idiom, and a 2-minute quiz — delivered to your inbox to keep your streak alive.

4 Answers
0
Hi, prolider! Thanks for joining, and welcome!

You are correct. "Would of", "could of", etc. is always wrong. People make this mistake because the "ve" in a contraction ("would've") sounds nearly the same as the preposition of.
0
Thank you, Gus! I thought so; but having read it countless times in British forums, seemingly from literate people, I began to deem it as some sort of British idiom.
0
I'm afraid not. It's just careless writing.

Related Questions