What sentence tense?

Question

Why couldn't he have been a kidnapper?couldn't is past tense but what about he have been?

Dimsumexpress · Accepted Answer

You seemed to be having a lot of problems with the modals. We like to help you but I think you need to do some research and studying on your own on the modals. Many learners are confused by the past tense concept with the modals and also the conditional usage. I think that is where you got mixed up.

Check this out. I am sitting at the dinner table and I ask the person at the far end "could you please pass the salt?". It is a perfectly grammatical question. You may ask. Why "could" and not "can"?

In fact, you can use can. But "could"and "would" typically suggest a softer mood. This may help you: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/English_modal_verb

Ivanhr · Answer

Hi,

could + have + past participle (couldn't have been) is used in many conditional sentences relating to events in the past.

1. I could have been a doctor if I had studied more.

2. He couldn't have been a kidnapper. (suggesting that he's not the kidnapper type (material)

Pleasehelp · Answer

dimsumexpressYou seemed to be having a lot of problems with the modals. We like to help you but I think you need to do some research and studying on your own on the modals. Many learners are confused by the past tense concept with the modals and also the conditional usage. I think that is where you got mixed up.
Check this out. I am sitting at the dinner table and I ask the person at the far end "could you please pass the salt?". It is a perfectly grammatical question. You may ask. Why "could" and not "can"?

In fact, you can use can. But "could"and "would" typically suggest a softer mood. This may help you:

Wait because of the modal couldn't, have would have to be the base form. Right?

Can I say this then..Couldn't had been....no, right?

Dimsumexpress · Answer

pleasehelp
Can I say this then..Couldn't had been..no, right?

No! Read the link I sent you and come back tomorrow.

pleasehelpWait because of the modal couldn't, have would have to be the base form. Right?

Yes, just remember that.

You really should study the information on that link. Couldn't - is a (negative)" modal. Have -is the verb in basic form. Didn't I say "the verb adjacent to the modal must remain in bare form?"

Yankee · Answer

Hi pleasehelp

In your sentence, "have been" is what is known as a perfect infinitive.

There are some other threads here that discuss perfect infinitives. Here are a few of them:

The word "could" is a modal verb and is the past form of the word "can". It is frequently used in a conditional sense -- as has already been mentioned.

pleasehelpWhy couldn't he have been a kidnapper?

I'd say it would be possible to interpret your sentence in a couple of different ways, depending on the broader context. However, you have not provided us with any of the broader context.

What sentence tense?

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