bb779's avatar
bb779

March 28, 2020

0
Grammatical Sentences: Could Have

1) You know, the bullet could've ricocheted off the ceiling and penetrated his eye.
2) He could've been making dozens of friends in the Netherlands, but he wasn't into the language.
3) James could hardly have guessed what I intended to do
4) Thanks, Michael. I couldn't have kept my temper if you hadn't been there and calmed me down.
5) New parents could've adopted Brian from the orphanage. (assumption)
6) I couldn't have forsaken him in that hostile environment.
7) Could she have changed her mind on meat?
8) You could've given handouts to homeless people, but instead you've wasted all the money on alcohol.
9) This rule could've worked on truants if the principal hadn't removed it.

Corrections

2) He could' have been making dozens of friends in the Netherlands by now, but he wasn't into the language.

It's very rare to write "could've" even if that's how we say it.

7) Canould she have changed her outlook on meat?

bb779's avatar
bb779

March 28, 2020

0

Thanks for that. Are others fine too?

1) You know, the bullet could've reboundicocheted off the ceiling and penetrated his eye.

Rebounded is not quite the right word here although the meaning is clear.

"Ricochet" is used for projectiles (especially bullets).

"Rebound" is mostly used to describe a ball bouncing off something (mostly in basketball). Otherwise it tends to imply a kind of "bouncing back" as in a recovery. For example, we say that "the economy rebounds after a recession" and we describe a relationship that one enters shortly after a breakup (normally with the implication that it is not expected to last) as a "rebound relationship".

2) He could've been makingmade dozens of friends in the Netherlands by now, but he wasn't into the language.

Use the simple past rather than the progressive past since you define an endpoint (by now).

Alternatively, if you want to use the progressive past, go with: "He could've been making dozens of friends in the Netherlands, but he wasn't into the language."

3) James could hardly have assumed what my intentions were.

This sounds oddly formal and like a quote from a nineteenth century British novel (at least to my American ear). "James could hardly have known what I intended" or "James could hardly have guessed what I intended to do" would sound more natural.

4) Thanks, Michael.

5) New parents could've adopted Brian from the orphanage.

6) I couldn't have forsaken him in that hostile environment.

7) Could she have changed her outlookmind on meat?

This may not be wrong. but I am guessing you that want to use mind instead of outlook. I (American) use "change one's mind" for normal changes of opinion - e.g. she used to eat meat but, after watching a documentary, changed her mind about meat and is now a vegetarian. To change one's outlook is rather...grandiose and normally used for large philosophical shifts - e.g. "In a 'Christmas Carol', the wealthy but hardhearted Scrooge learns to see the errors of his ways and changes his outlook on life to be empathetic and charitable.

8) You could've given handouts to homeless people, but instead you've wasted all the money on alcohol.

9) This rule cwould've worked on truants if the principal hadn't removed it.

Use would have if you are asserting it to be true.

bb779's avatar
bb779

March 31, 2020

0

Thanks a bunch for the natural corrections!

1) You know, the bullet could've rebounded off the ceiling and penetrated into his eye.

“Penetrate” already carries the connotation of “into” so this seems redundant.

2) He could've been making dozens of friends in the Netherlands now, but he wasn't into the language.

3) James canould hardly have assumed what my intentions were.

4) Thanks, Michael.

I couldn't have kept my temper if you hadn't been there and calmed me down.

5) New parents could've adopted Brian from the orphanage.

(assumption)

6) I couldn't have forsaken him in that hostile environment.

7) Canould she have changed her outlook on meat?

8) You could've given handouts to homeless people, but instead you've wasted all the money on alcohol.

9) This rule could've worked on truants if the principal hadn't removed it.

bb779's avatar
bb779

March 29, 2020

0

So, as I see "can" doesn't make sense in these two sentences?

Grammatical Sentences: Can Have, Could Have

1) You know, the bullet could've rebounded off the ceiling and penetrated into his eye.

2) He could've been making dozens of friends in the Netherlands now, but he wasn't into the language.

3) James canould hardly have assumed what my intentions were.

I couldn't have kept my temper if you hadn't been there and calmed me down.

5) New parents could've adopted Brian from the orphanage.

6) I couldn't have forsaken him in that hostile environment.

7) Canould she have changed her outlook on meat?

Grammatical Sentences: Can Have, Could Have


This sentence has been marked as perfect!

1) You know, the bullet could've rebounded off the ceiling and penetrated into his eye.


This sentence has been marked as perfect!

1) You know, the bullet could've rebounded off the ceiling and penetrated into his eye.

“Penetrate” already carries the connotation of “into” so this seems redundant.

2) He could've been making dozens of friends in the Netherlands now, but he wasn't into the language.


This sentence has been marked as perfect!

This sentence has been marked as perfect!

2) He could' have been making dozens of friends in the Netherlands by now, but he wasn't into the language.

It's very rare to write "could've" even if that's how we say it.

3) James can hardly have assumed what my intentions were.


3) James canould hardly have assumed what my intentions were.

3) James canould hardly have assumed what my intentions were.

4) Thanks, Michael.


This sentence has been marked as perfect!

This sentence has been marked as perfect!

I couldn't have kept my temper if you hadn't been there and calmed me down.


This sentence has been marked as perfect!

This sentence has been marked as perfect!

5) New parents could've adopted Brian from the orphanage.


This sentence has been marked as perfect!

This sentence has been marked as perfect!

This sentence has been marked as perfect!

(assumption)


This sentence has been marked as perfect!

6) I couldn't have forsaken him in that hostile environment.


This sentence has been marked as perfect!

This sentence has been marked as perfect!

This sentence has been marked as perfect!

7) Can she have changed her outlook on meat?


7) Canould she have changed her outlook on meat?

7) Canould she have changed her outlook on meat?

7) Canould she have changed her outlook on meat?

8) You could've given handouts to homeless people, but instead you've wasted all the money on alcohol.


This sentence has been marked as perfect!

This sentence has been marked as perfect!

9) This rule could've worked on truants if the principal hadn't removed it.


This sentence has been marked as perfect!

9) This rule cwould've worked on truants if the principal hadn't removed it.

Use would have if you are asserting it to be true.

1) You know, the bullet could've rebounded off the ceiling and penetrated his eye.


1) You know, the bullet could've reboundicocheted off the ceiling and penetrated his eye.

Rebounded is not quite the right word here although the meaning is clear. "Ricochet" is used for projectiles (especially bullets). "Rebound" is mostly used to describe a ball bouncing off something (mostly in basketball). Otherwise it tends to imply a kind of "bouncing back" as in a recovery. For example, we say that "the economy rebounds after a recession" and we describe a relationship that one enters shortly after a breakup (normally with the implication that it is not expected to last) as a "rebound relationship".

2) He could've been making dozens of friends in the Netherlands by now, but he wasn't into the language.


2) He could've been makingmade dozens of friends in the Netherlands by now, but he wasn't into the language.

Use the simple past rather than the progressive past since you define an endpoint (by now). Alternatively, if you want to use the progressive past, go with: "He could've been making dozens of friends in the Netherlands, but he wasn't into the language."

3) James could hardly have assumed what my intentions were.


3) James could hardly have assumed what my intentions were.

This sounds oddly formal and like a quote from a nineteenth century British novel (at least to my American ear). "James could hardly have known what I intended" or "James could hardly have guessed what I intended to do" would sound more natural.

7) Could she have changed her outlook on meat?


7) Could she have changed her outlookmind on meat?

This may not be wrong. but I am guessing you that want to use mind instead of outlook. I (American) use "change one's mind" for normal changes of opinion - e.g. she used to eat meat but, after watching a documentary, changed her mind about meat and is now a vegetarian. To change one's outlook is rather...grandiose and normally used for large philosophical shifts - e.g. "In a 'Christmas Carol', the wealthy but hardhearted Scrooge learns to see the errors of his ways and changes his outlook on life to be empathetic and charitable.

Grammatical Sentences: Could Have


1) 1) You know, the bullet could've ricocheted off the ceiling and penetrated his eye.


2) He could've been making dozens of friends in the Netherlands, but he wasn't into the language.


3)James could hardly have guessed what I intended to do


7) Could she have changed her mind on meat?


1) You know, the bullet could've ricocheted off the ceiling and penetrated his eye.


3) James could hardly have guessed what I intended to do


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