[General] couldn't/ wasn't/ shouldn't

[vil]

Dear teachers,

Would you share with me your opinion concerning the following sentences?

• He couldn’t leave.
• He wasn’t allowed to leave.
• He was not to leave.
• He shouldn’t have left.

Thanks for your efforts.

Regards,

V.

 

[5jj]

Dear teachers,

Would you share with me your opinion concerning the following sentences?

• He couldn’t leave. Depending on the context and co-text, this could be: It was not possible for him to leave, He did not have the ability to leave or: He was not allowed to leave.
  
• He wasn’t allowed to leave. This is clear.
• He was not to leave. Depending on the context and co-text, this could be: he was not allowed to leave, or: As matters turned out, he did not leave.
  
• He shouldn’t have left.There was an obligation for him not to leave, but he left, or: my opinion is that it would have been better for him if he had not left - but he did.
  

V.

fjj