Sasha
Профессиональный преподаватель
can't have done versus couldn’t have done I want to know what is the difference between “can't have done” and “couldn’t have done?” Sentence 1. She can't have gone to bed. It's only ten o'clock. Sentence 2. She couldn't have gone to bed. It's only ten o'clock. There’s no doubt that these sentences are very similar and they are both correct. Some people think that the first sentence is slightly stronger in that you are saying that (in your opinion) it's almost impossible that she has gone to bed and the second sentence leaves open the small possibility that you are wrong about this! Personally, I don’t think that’s the case. What do you think?
9 авг. 2017 г., 19:55
Ответы · 9
2
I frequently use "can't have", but it depends upon the context and the meaning I'm trying to imply. As Frank has said, yes it is correct. Also as Gary has said, in this context, "can't" has a stronger feeling or tends to negate or imply the improbability of whatever is being disputed. "She can't have gone to bed. It's only ten o'clock" implies that the speaker disbelieves that said person has gone to bed which further implies that said person probably stays up rather late and this going to bed at 10 is out of the norm. This could easily be what my friends say of me as I too tend to stay up late provided that I don't have to work the next morning. Another context as an example would be, "He can't have eaten all of that candy by himself." Again, disbelief here that the candy was eaten by one person. Highly doubtful. or "She couldn't have washed those dishes in only one hour." - disbelief that the event occurred. I think the difference might be likened to disbelief vs doubt (can't vs couldn't have respectfully).
12 августа 2017 г.
2
Yes, I think you're right. "can't" is stronger, and suggests that it's impossible. That could be a joking reference to the fact that she's normally up late, or it could also mean that there's some practical reason that she would not have gone already. Both are fine - I don't know what Frank is referring to with regard to "can't" being strange, apart from possibly the slightly odd context that it is being used in.
10 августа 2017 г.
1
No difference. The "can't" for a phrase like that would not be used in American English.
9 августа 2017 г.
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