vectrum
Member
- Joined
- Aug 10, 2012
- Member Type
- Student or Learner
- Native Language
- Bengali; Bangla
- Home Country
- UK
- Current Location
- UK
Difference between "could be <ppt> and "could have been <ppt>"
Could you please tell me the difference between "could be <ppt> and "could have been <ppt>"? I got confused when I heard the news of an accident. It said "The accident could be avoided" but I suddenly thought why they hadn't used the following; "The accident could have been avoided". Can it be a reason that the accident had really happened whereas "could have been" is to be used to refer to a hypothetical situation - but both "could be" and "could have been" refer to a future-situation.
Thank you.
Could you please tell me the difference between "could be <ppt> and "could have been <ppt>"? I got confused when I heard the news of an accident. It said "The accident could be avoided" but I suddenly thought why they hadn't used the following; "The accident could have been avoided". Can it be a reason that the accident had really happened whereas "could have been" is to be used to refer to a hypothetical situation - but both "could be" and "could have been" refer to a future-situation.
Thank you.