Results 1 to 5 of 5
  1. #1
    eliff is offline Banned
    • Member Info
      • Member Type:
      • Academic
      • Native Language:
      • Turkish
      • Home Country:
      • Turkey
      • Current Location:
      • Turkey
    Join Date
    Aug 2011
    Posts
    34
    Teacher

    Default could have/might have/would have

    Hello,

    Could you please check the sentence whether they are correct?

    Normally we use 'could have/might/would have' have in past.But Today I was surprised when hearing this.

    a) If I had gone to school, I would have found a jon now.

    b) You could have done my homework now.But I didn't.

    Thanks

  2. #2
    emsr2d2 is offline VIP Member
    • Member Info
      • Member Type:
      • English Teacher
      • Native Language:
      • British English
      • Home Country:
      • UK
      • Current Location:
      • UK
    Join Date
    Jul 2009
    Posts
    9,002
    Teacher

    Default Re: could have/might have/would have

    Quote Originally Posted by eliff View Post
    Hello,

    Could you please check the sentence whether they are correct?

    Normally we use 'could have/might/would have' have in past.But Today I was surprised when hearing this.

    a) If I had gone to school, I would have found a job by now.
    This is fine, and "could have found" would also be fine.

    b) You could have done my homework now.But I didn't.
    This doesn't make any sense if the whole thing is said by the same person.

    Thanks
    Why were you surprised to hear the first one?
    Last edited by emsr2d2; 22-Sep-2011 at 06:39.

  3. #3
    eliff is offline Banned
    • Member Info
      • Member Type:
      • Academic
      • Native Language:
      • Turkish
      • Home Country:
      • Turkey
      • Current Location:
      • Turkey
    Join Date
    Aug 2011
    Posts
    34
    Threadstarter / Original Poster
    Teacher

    Default Re: could have/might have/would have

    Thank you first.I thought that we had to use 'could have/might/would have' have' with the past adverb of time.But I think that 'now' shows the term from past to now.

    Is that right?

    For example :You could have done my homework now.But you didn't.

  4. #4
    Raymott's Avatar
    Raymott is offline VIP Member
    • Member Info
      • Member Type:
      • Academic
      • Native Language:
      • English
      • Home Country:
      • Australia
      • Current Location:
      • Australia
    Join Date
    Jun 2008
    Posts
    14,596
    Teacher

    Default Re: could have/might have/would have

    Quote Originally Posted by eliff View Post
    Thank you first.I thought that we had to use 'could have/might/would have' have' with the past adverb of time.But I think that 'now' shows the term from past to now.

    Is that right?

    For example :You could have done my homework by now.But you didn't.
    You can't use "now" with this sentence. You can use "by now".
    This also needs fixing:
    a) If I had gone to school, I would have found a job by now.
    "By now" does refer to the past.

  5. #5
    5jj's Avatar
    5jj
    5jj is offline Moderator
    • Member Info
      • Member Type:
      • English Teacher
      • Native Language:
      • British English
      • Home Country:
      • England
      • Current Location:
      • Czech Republic
    Join Date
    Oct 2010
    Posts
    16,959
    Teacher

    Default Re: could have/might have/would have

    Quote Originally Posted by Raymott View Post
    a) If I had gone to school, I would have found a job by now.
    "By now" does refer to the past.
    Though it's a past that extends up to the present moment.

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •  

Search Engine Optimization by vBSEO 3.6.0