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Anonymous Posted 18 years ago
Grammar

couldn't vs. couldn't have

0Hi,02br
02br
00I think you can basically say the same thing by using 'couldn't' and 'couldn't have'. They both refer to the past and indicate the capability at that time.02br
02br
00There was no way that I couldn't enjoy the game, not from the way we played offensively.02br
02br
00In regard to the above statement made by Nuggets coach George Karl after his team's spectacular performance on the field, would you say you could easily replace 'couldn't' with 'couldn't have' and have virtually no different in meaning? Only place I have seen 'could + verb' or 'couldn't + verb' being used is where the simplicity of context is involved like here:02br
02br
00Three years ago, I could do twenty push-ups.02br
02br
00How about these?02br
02br
00I could have done it but I diidn't.02br
02br
00I could have done it but I didn't02br
02br
00For the above two, I see virtually no difference. 0-
  

Top answer

02i 02br 00See 01i 00can/could02i 00 in Swan, Practical English Usage. 0-

  • 02i 02br 00See 01i 00can/could02i 00 in Swan, Practical English Usage.
  • 0-
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1 Answers
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1i00>There was no way that I 01b00couldn't 02b00enjoy the game, not from the way we played offensively.02i02br
00To me, this is wrong, as this is talk about 01font00unrealised past ability, or guess or speculation about what has happened02font00 , only 01b00could have02b00 sho

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