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Nsfs2 Posted 13 years ago
Grammar

Past possibility

Hi,

Can one use 'could+Vo' to express past possibility ?If so, could you provide a few examples, please?

Thanks.
  

Top answer

Vo? , the bare infinitive? If I understand the question correctly, the answer is 'no'.

— CalifJim

  • Vo?
  • , the bare infinitive?
  • If I understand the question correctly, the answer is 'no'.
  • You need 'could have' for that idea.
  • His office was dark.
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3 Answers
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Vo? Is that your designator for the base form, i.e., the bare infinitive?

If I understand the question correctly, the answer is 'no'. You need 'could have' for that idea.

His office was dark. It seemed that no one was there. He could have slipped out for a bite to eat. (It was possible that he slipped out ....)

By the way, 'might have' is equivalent to
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CalifJimVo? Is that your designator for the base form, i.e., the bare infinitive?If I understand the question correctly, the answer is 'no'. You need 'could have' for that idea.His office was dark. It seemed that no one was there. He could have slipped out for a bite to eat. (It was possible that he slipped out ....)CJ
Thanks, Cj.

I thought I could us
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nsfs2 to stand for the 'zero infinitive'
Right. Not a bad idea. At least I guessed what you meant correctly.
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