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Viceidol Posted 18 years ago
Grammar
He can't/couldn't have gone to the movies.(about tense)
0 He 01 b 01 font 00 can't 02 font 00 have gone 02 b 00 to the movies. 02 br
00 He 01 b 01 font 00 couldn't 02 font 00 have gone 02 b 00 to the movies. 02 br
02 br
00 May I ask if the "can't/couldn't have done" are used without difference in tense here? 02 br
00 For example, does the first sentence mean "It 01 b 00 is 02 b 00 not possible that he 01 b 00 have 02 b 00 gone to the movies." 02 br
00 and the second one means "It 01 b 00 was 02 b 00 not possible that he 01 b 00 had 02 b 00 gone to the movies."? 02 br
02 br
00 Or both of them mean "It is not possible that he have gone to the movies."? 02 br
02 br
00 Thabk you for your answer! 0-
00 He 01 b 01 font 00 couldn't 02 font 00 have gone 02 b 00 to the movies. 02 br
02 br
00 May I ask if the "can't/couldn't have done" are used without difference in tense here? 02 br
00 For example, does the first sentence mean "It 01 b 00 is 02 b 00 not possible that he 01 b 00 have 02 b 00 gone to the movies." 02 br
00 and the second one means "It 01 b 00 was 02 b 00 not possible that he 01 b 00 had 02 b 00 gone to the movies."? 02 br
02 br
00 Or both of them mean "It is not possible that he have gone to the movies."? 02 br
02 br
00 Thabk you for your answer! 0-
Top answer
02 br 00 It is not possible that he 01 b 00 has 02 b 00 gone to the movies. 02 br 00 I was not possible that he had gone to the movies. Time reference is the past.
- 02 br 00 It is not possible that he 01 b 00 has 02 b 00 gone to the movies.
- 02 br 00 I was not possible that he had gone to the movies.
- Time reference is the past.
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6 Answers
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0 Close! 02 br
00 It is not possible that he 01 b 00 has 02 b 00 gone to the movies. Time reference is the present. 02 br
00 I was not possible that he had gone to the movies. Time reference is the past. 0-
00 It is not possible that he 01 b 00 has 02 b 00 gone to the movies. Time reference is the present. 02 br
00 I was not possible that he had gone to the movies. Time reference is the past. 0-
00
0 He can't have gone to the movies. 02 br
00 He couldn't have gone to the movies. 02 br
02 br
00 I would say that both of these mean that "it is not possible that he 01 b 00 has 02 b 00 (not have) gone to the movies" 02 br
00 For example: 02 br
00 He can't have gone to the movies. I saw him going into the bowling ally just a few minu
00 He couldn't have gone to the movies. 02 br
02 br
00 I would say that both of these mean that "it is not possible that he 01 b 00 has 02 b 00 (not have) gone to the movies" 02 br
00 For example: 02 br
00 He can't have gone to the movies. I saw him going into the bowling ally just a few minu
00
0 ----- 02 br
00 We use 01 b 00 can't have 02 b 00 / 01 b 00 couldn't have 02 b 00 to say that we believe something 01 b 00 was 02 b 00 impossible. 02 br
01 i 00 He 01 b 00 can't have escaped 02 b 00 through this window. It is too small. 02 br
00 She 01 b 00 can't have
00 We use 01 b 00 can't have 02 b 00 / 01 b 00 couldn't have 02 b 00 to say that we believe something 01 b 00 was 02 b 00 impossible. 02 br
01 i 00 He 01 b 00 can't have escaped 02 b 00 through this window. It is too small. 02 br
00 She 01 b 00 can't have
00
0 I would say that these 01 i 00 02 i 00 express a doubt about feasibility rather than a belief of impossibility. 0-
00
0 01 blockquote
01 cite 10 Viceidol 12 cite 10 Or 11 font 11 b 10 do 12 b 12 font 10 both of them mean "It is not possible that he 11 font 11 del10 Yes. Both mean the10 have 12 del10 has 12 font 10 gone to the movies."? 12 blockquote
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