Could/ may/ should

Question

# Happy birthday!# Thank you! It’s the best present I ____ for.  A  should have wished     B   must have wished     C  may have wished  D  could have wished The given answer is D, which puzzles me a lot.I should think the others can work occasionally.Do you agree?Thank you very much.

Clive · Accepted Answer

Hi,

Choose D.
The basic idea is 'If I had wished for a present, this is the best one I could possibly have wished for'.

What meaning do you see in each of the others?

Clive

Norwolf · Answer

Hi, Clive.
Your idea should, I guess, be based on the fact that I never wished for any presents. Right?
I would like to base mine on the one that I did wish for a few.
It’s the best present I should/may have wished for. sounds associated with Probably it’s the best present I have wished for by now.
It’s the best present I must have wished for. sounds associated with Surely it’s the best present I have wished for by now.

I would be grateful if you could please correct my mistakes, if any.

Clive · Answer

Hi,

Your idea should, I guess, be based on the fact that I never wished for any presents. Right? Yes
I would like to base mine on the one that I did wish for a few. Then you would just say
It’s the best present I wished for

All of the following sound odd.

It’s the best present I should have wished for. Sounds like someone was forcing you to wish.

It’s the best present I may have wished for. Sounds like you ate not sure if you wished.

Probably it’s the best present I have wished for by now. Probably' introduces whole new aspect of meaning.
It’s the best present I must have wished for. Sounds like you can't remember what you wished for.
Surely it’s the best present I have wished for by now. When you use 'surely' like this, it sounds like you are asking the listener for confirmation.

Bottom line - D is the normal and standard choice.

Clive

CalifJim · Answer

norwolfThe given answer is D, which puzzles me a lot.I should think the others can work occasionally.Do you agree?

No. I can't agree. Maybe it would help if you thought of it this way.

It's the best present I ____ have wished for. =~ I ____ not have wished for a better present.

A I should not have wished for a better present.
(It was not a good idea for me to wish for a better present.)

B I must not have wished for a better present.
(The only logical conclusion it that I did not wish for a better present.)

C I may not have wished for a better present.
(It's possible that I did not wish for a better present.)

D I could not have wished for a better present.
(It would not have been possible for me to wish for a better present.)
(I would not have been able to wish for a better present.)
(I would not have been capable of wishing for a better present.)

CJ

Could/ may/ should

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