| Element | USE: PAST POSSIBILITY |
|---|---|
| SuperCat | MODALITY |
| SubCat | could |
| Lexical Range | N/A |
| Level | B2 |
| Cando | Can used affirmative 'could' have + '-ed' to talk about past possibility. |
| Corrected Learner Example | Alice was disappointed that her mother could have phoned her but she did not. (Japan; B2 VANTAGE; 2001; Japanese; Pass) I think that all these problems could have been avoided and that asking my money back is the best way of forgetting that evening. (Spain; B2 VANTAGE; 2000; Catalan; Pass) I was grateful to them because the ticket was so expensive that I couldn't have bought it. (Italy; B2 VANTAGE; 1993; Italian; Pass) |
| Uncorrected Learner Example | |
| Comments | N/A |
