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Sergey Ivanov Posted 15 years ago
Vocabulary
She couldn't have been a day over 21.
What subject means and how to "feel" that text?
Top answer
Hi, Welcome to the Forums! She couldn't have been a day over 21. The girl is young, and guessing from the way she looks, she must be younger than 21.
- Hi, Welcome to the Forums!
- She couldn't have been a day over 21.
- The girl is young, and guessing from the way she looks, she must be younger than 21.
- The interpretation depends on the context, and there are many possible situations.
- It could be sadness - an older person, probably a man, observing and feeling sorry for a young girl who is in a not-so-nice situation.
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3 Answers
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Hi,
Welcome to the Forums!
She couldn't have been a day over 21.
The girl is young, and guessing from the way she looks, she must be younger than 21.
The interpretation depends on the context, and there are many possible situations.
It could be sadness - an older person, probably a man, observing and feeling sorry for a young girl who is in a not-so-nic
Welcome to the Forums!
She couldn't have been a day over 21.
The girl is young, and guessing from the way she looks, she must be younger than 21.
The interpretation depends on the context, and there are many possible situations.
It could be sadness - an older person, probably a man, observing and feeling sorry for a young girl who is in a not-so-nic
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Thanks for such fast feedback. Have no troubles with context. In my language there are same situations with context (young success or whatever). I meant only phrase itsef. Is it mean JUST
OVER 21 or under 21 (im both case just/almost with sence with(out) few days) or smth like that. I mean that present perfect continuous + negative form of modal verb just kills me
OVER 21 or under 21 (im both case just/almost with sence with(out) few days) or smth like that. I mean that present perfect continuous + negative form of modal verb just kills me
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The speaker does not know the girl's age. To the speaker, the girl seems young, 21 at most: that is the meaning of the phrase.
The verb aspect and the negation are not relevant to that determination. In your sentence it is not continuous; it is merely present perfect. Present perfect of a modal is the past form: could (not) have been = past negated condition, while 'could (not)
The verb aspect and the negation are not relevant to that determination. In your sentence it is not continuous; it is merely present perfect. Present perfect of a modal is the past form: could (not) have been = past negated condition, while 'could (not)
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