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Guest Posted 21 years ago
Grammar

How would you say..?

0 Hey everyone, 02br
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00Any answers will greatly be appreciated05002br
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00Let's assume that someone (person A) did something some time (time T1) ago. 02br
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00At time T2, Person B tells person C what this person A did. 02br
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00Person C does not want to believe what really happened (C does not want admit what was done) 02br
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00So, C just wants to express his opinion such as 'there is no way that A could have done that' 02br
00referring to A's state at present time (T2) 02br
00T1 02br
00My question is: 02br
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00--- What would C say to express his opinion? 02br
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00??? 1. He can't have done that 02br
00??? 2. He couldn't have done that 02br
00??? 3. He mustn't have done that 02br
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00The above are my shots. What are your thoughts? 02br
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00Thanks ! 02br
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00Inanc 010id1
  

Top answer

0 1) and 2) are ok, in that they express a lot of disbelief (what happened is not possible, surely). 02br 02br 003) Does not work 02br 02br 00Also 02br 02br 00He wouldn't have done that (disbelief in what you are being told as person A would not choose to take that action). 02br 02br 00He didn't!

— Nona the brit

  • 0 1) and 2) are ok, in that they express a lot of disbelief (what happened is not possible, surely).
  • 02br 02br 003) Does not work 02br 02br 00Also 02br 02br 00He wouldn't have done that (disbelief in what you are being told as person A would not choose to take that action).
  • 02br 02br 00He didn't!
  • (An exclamation of horrified or even delighted amazement).
  • 0-
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27 Answers
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0 1) and 2) are ok, in that they express a lot of disbelief (what happened is not possible, surely). 02br
02br
003) Does not work 02br
02br
00Also 02br
02br
00He wouldn't have done that (disbelief in what you are being told as person A would not choose to take that action). 02br
02br
00He didn't! (An exclamation of h
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0 This is a great question, in that the personC can say each of these, and be 02br
00hitting an entirely different mark each time! 02br
00He CAN'T have done it! disbelief toward B, showing concern for A 02br
00He COULDN'T have done it! he probably did, but C didn't think he could. 02br
00He MUSTN'T have done it! It directly affected C profoundly a
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0 Hi LF, 02br
00Would you say "He MUSTN'T have done it! " in that sense? I can envisage using it to express that someone had omitted or forgotten to do something, but not in the way you describe. Is this a difference between BrE and AmE? 0-
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0In despair, head in hands, yea I can see it... only just, though050010id1
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0 I would have to agree with Abbie, Lookfar. It seems, given the scenario as laid out by Guest, that C doesn't have the information required to use such an epistemically strong statement. 02br
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00Such a reading of "must", and I'll allow that there could be such a reading, seems to be better expressed by Abbie's suggestion of, 02br
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00He wouldn't
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0 I read all the replies. I feel a little confused now, since I am not a native speaker. 02br
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00What I really wanted to know was how would C refer to A's present state at T2. More specifically, it seems to me that 02br
02br
00??? 1. He can't have done that -- refers to T2 (present time) 02br
00??? 2. He couldn't have done that -- refers to
0
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0 I read all the replies. I feel a little confused now, since I am not a native speaker. 02br
02br
00What I really wanted to know was how would C refer to A's present state at T2. More specifically, it seems to me that 02br
02br
00??? 1. He can't have done that -- refers to T2 (present time) 02br
00??? 2. He couldn't have done that -- refers
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0 Guys, this is just an opinion, and I am prepared to be shot down in flames and immolated on this sacrificial fire. 02br
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00When English learners ask questions, is not reasonable to answer the question first so that they understand, and THEN go in to the academic debate? 02br
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00"I read all the replies. I feel a little confused now, since I am no
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0 Good point, Abbie. But sometimes, if the student is operating under a/some misconception(s)simply telling the student which one(s) is/are right, which one(s) is/are excluded won't solve the problem. 02br
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00You answered the question fully, the reasons for a 'must' exclusion were laid out, but the student still doesn't understand. That tells us that there is a bigger pro
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0 Please read the two quotes (that I found on Internet real quick) below. In the first one, Baxter makes a judgment about his condition at the time of speaking out those words, and he points out that he is in fact not mistaken. 02br
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00However, in the second one the narrator just gives information about his condition in the past. 02br
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00Here, one
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