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Davidrock65 Posted 19 years ago
Grammar

could/could've

0 Dear teachers02br
00A. I didn't want to have a fight with him. I thought he could be a gangster.02br
00B. I didn't want to have a fight with him. I thought he could've been a gangster.02br
00Do the sentences above have the same meaning?02br
00Thanks for help!! 0-
  

Top answer

02br 02i 00As such, when related to the past, it reflects situations which aren't very remote in time. 01i 02br 02i 02br 01b 00could've been02br 02b 00only works in past time02br 00 a reason for which it is normally related to more remote times. 02br 00 It is also related to "less than probable" situations.

— Marius Hancu

  • 02br 02i 00As such, when related to the past, it reflects situations which aren't very remote in time.
  • 01i 02br 02i 02br 01b 00could've been02br 02b 00only works in past time02br 00 a reason for which it is normally related to more remote times.
  • 02br 00 It is also related to "less than probable" situations.
  • 02br 02br 0-
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1 Answers
0
0 01b00could be 02b02br
00 works both in present and past time, as you may see both: 02br
01i00I think he could be a gangster.02br
00 I thought he could be a gangster.02br
02i00As such, when related to the past, it reflects situations which aren't very remote in time. 01i02br
02i02br
0

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