Could or could have done

[Rachel Adams]

I will rephrase the explanations again just to make sure I don't misunderstand. I will use "could" for permission, and ability in the past. "Ken could drive/Ken could not drive his aunt to the airport. I didn't ask about positive statements but I hope in a positive statement it's not wrong to say "Ken could drive his aunt" or is it regarded as what was possible in a particular situation and therefore "was able to" must be used not "could"?
I will also use "could" to express surprise as in "How could you spent so much time?" ( Michael Vince "English Grammar in Context") which refers to a past action.

 

[jutfrank]

I will use "could" for permission, and ability in the past. "Ken could drive/Ken could not drive his aunt to the airport.

The meaning there is probably meant to be possibility, not ability or permission. It probably means it was not possible for Ken to drive his aunt to the airport.

I didn't ask about positive statements but I hope in a positive statement it's not wrong to say "Ken could drive his aunt"

It depends to some extent on what you mean. What do you mean? I imagine you want to say Ken was able to drive his aunt to the airport. In any case, forget about this for the time being.

or is it regarded as what was possible in a particular situation and therefore "was able to" must be used not "could"?

Probably, yes. As I said above, I think you mean Ken was able to drive his aunt to the airport.

I will also use "could" to express surprise as in "How could you spend so much time?" ( Michael Vince "English Grammar in Context") which refers to a past action.

Yes. For this, you need to understand the phrase How could you as a fixed phrase, with a very specific use.

 

[Rachel Adams]

Thank you so much!
Yes, that's what I meant. If I say "he could" instead of "he was able to" would it be wrong? "He could take his aunt to the airport".
Not in this exercise, because I will have to change the context I think. "Ken could take his aunt to the airport after he had fixed his car." Is this situation understood as a particular situation in which using "could" is wrong?
You suggested forgetting about it, but I can't. Especially because you explained so well and I don't think I will have any problems with "could not have done" vs "could do."
In the example where you suggested using "couldn't" "He couldn't drive his aunt to the airport" -he wasn't able to drive his aunt to the airport." If I remove "could not" and use "wasn't able to drive" from your explanation, it wouldn't be wrong, I think. Right?

 

[Rachel Adams]

I would really appreciate it if someone answered my question regarding "could not" and "could" in post #23. I am not asking about the book's context, because everything is clear now, but I am asking about the changed situation.
Regarding this:
"Not in this exercise, because I will have to change the context I think. "Ken could take his aunt to the airport after he had fixed his car." Is this situation understood as a particular situation in which using "could" is wrong?"

"In the example where you suggested using "couldn't" "He couldn't drive his aunt to the airport" -he wasn't able to drive his aunt to the airport." If I remove "could not" and use "wasn't able to drive" from your explanation, it wouldn't be wrong, I think. Right?"

There are no issues left only these two questions.

 

[Charlie Bernstein]

Thank you so much!
Yes, that's what I meant. If I say "he could" instead of "he was able to" would it be wrong? "He could take his aunt to the airport".

> They mean the same thing.

Not in this exercise, because I will have to change the context, [comma] I think. "Ken could take his aunt to the airport after he had fixed his car." Is this situation understood as a particular situation in which using "could" is wrong?

> No, "could" is fine there.

You suggested forgetting about it, but I can't,

> Make a special effort!

especially because you explained it so well and I don't think I will have any problems with "could not have done" vs "could do."

In the example where you suggested using "couldn't", [COMMA] AS IN "He couldn't drive his aunt to the airport", [COMMA] OR "he wasn't able to drive his aunt to the airport." If I remove "could not" and use "wasn't able to drive" from your explanation, it wouldn't be wrong, I think. Right?

> Right.

I think you've got it.

 

[Charlie Bernstein]

I would really appreciate it if someone answered my question regarding "could not" and "could" in post #23. I am not asking about the book's context, because everything is clear now, but I am asking about the changed situation.

Regarding this:

"Not in this exercise, because I will have to change the context I think. "Ken could take his aunt to the airport after he had fixed his car." Is this situation understood as a particular situation in which using "could" is wrong?"

> No. I doubt you need "had."

> The quotation marks are confusing.

"In the example where you suggested using "couldn't" "He couldn't drive his aunt to the airport" -he wasn't able to drive his aunt to the airport." If I remove "could not" and use "wasn't able to drive" from your explanation, it wouldn't be wrong, I think. Right?"

> The quotation marks are VERY confusing.

There are no OTHER issues left, [COMMA] only these two questions.

Careful with those quotes!

 

[jutfrank]

I don't think I understand your questions, Rachel. Ask one at a time. Try to be as clear as possible.

 

[Rachel Adams]

I don't think I understand your questions, Rachel. Ask one at a time. Try to be as clear as possible.

Sorry.

I changed the original context to be able to use "could" as in 1. "Ken could take his aunt to the airport after he had fixed his car" where "could" means "He was able to take his aunt to the airport and it was possible for him to drive her." Is this situation (sentence #1) understood as a particular situation in which using "could" is wrong?"

 

[Charlie Bernstein]

Sorry.

I changed the original context to be able to use "could" as in 1. "Ken could take his aunt to the airport after he had fixed his car" where "could" means "He was able to take his aunt to the airport and it was possible for him to drive her." Is this situation (sentence #1) understood as a particular situation in which using "could" is wrong?"

No, "could" is not wrong. However, the quotation mark at the end is wrong. Please be careful with those. Sometimes they're hard to make sense of. (See #26.)

 

[Rachel Adams]

No, "could" is not wrong. However, the quotation mark at the end is wrong. Please be careful with those. Sometimes they're hard to make sense of. (See #26.)

Thank you. I will try be careful with them. You didn't correct anything in this part: "In the example where you suggested using "couldn't" "He couldn't drive his aunt to the airport" -he wasn't able to drive his aunt to the airport." If I remove "could not" and use "wasn't able to drive" from your explanation, it wouldn't be wrong, I think. Right?"
Does it mean it is also correct? It's from post #26. I was asking about one of the teachers jutfrank's example.

 

[Charlie Bernstein]

Thank you. I will try be careful with them. You didn't correct anything in this part: "In the example where you suggested using "couldn't" "He couldn't drive his aunt to the airport" -he wasn't able to drive his aunt to the airport." If I remove "could not" and use "wasn't able to drive" from your explanation, it wouldn't be wrong, I think. Right?"
Does it mean it is also correct? It's from post #26. I was asking about one of the teacher's, jutfrank's, example.

1: In your example, you can use "couldn't" or "wasn't able to."

2: You have several quotation mark mistakes there, and they make this post hard to follow. I did not fix them. You can. If you need to, you review their use.

3: I put an apostrophe in "teacher's." It's a possessive.

4. I put commas before and after "jutfrank." It's part of an independent clause.

 

[GoesStation]

You didn't correct anything in this part: "In the example where you suggested using "couldn't" "He couldn't drive his aunt to the airport" -he wasn't able to drive his aunt to the airport." If I remove "could not" and use "wasn't able to drive" from your explanation, it wouldn't be wrong, I think. Right?"

Rachel, your misuse of quotation marks and other punctuation makes the quoted passage almost indecipherable. Please learn to alternate the type of quotation marks you use when quoted material includes other quoted material.