Transcription
Hello. In this video, we're going to learn the difference between could have, would have, and should have. This is part two. Part one is up here somewhere, and it is on could, would, and should. So, obviously, if you're not using could, would, and should correctly, you should watch that video first.
This is going to be a simplification so that you can use could have, would have, and should have correctly in your speaking. If you're still not using could have, would have, and should have correctly when you speak, you should not be analyzing subtle differences in grammar and trying to read all of the information on these words. Use the language in a basic way correctly. Actually use it correctly first. Second, the way you're going to learn the nuances is now that you're using them properly, you're going to listen and you're going to notice the nuanced differences between different situations. This is a better way than reading PDFs all day long. That's why I'm here. I'm here to preach the gospel of listening and speaking and save you from the perils of studying grammar before you're ready.
If you're new here, my name is Anming Alexander. I created English Evolution to make English easy for you. By the way, what is this? Since you're going to see this throughout the whole video, we might as well talk about it now. When you have a cut on your finger, you put a band-aid on the cut. Band-aid. But if you work with your hands, that band-aid is going to fall off all day long and annoy you and get in your way, and there could be dirt and stuff that gets in, right? So, we put this piece of latex over the top of the finger to keep the band-aid in place and also to just keep working normally. What is this called in English? This is called a finger condom. That is your vocabulary of the day. You're welcome.
Okay, let's go. Could have 101. Number one, remember that could is the past tense of can. I could read when I was 5 years old. I had the ability. Could have is like past tense when the thing didn't actually happen. So, I could have learned to read, but I didn't. I could have graduated, but I didn't. I could have gotten married, but I didn't. Notice the pronunciation. When native speakers say could have, you'll hear could've, coulda, or could of. I could have been a data analyst. I could have kept working in China. I could have tried harder. I could have studied more for that test.
Number two, could means can in imaginary situations. Example, if I were smart. This is second conditional. It's an imaginary world. In reality, I'm stupid. If I were smart, I could be a doctor. I could be a doctor now or in the future. Okay? Could have is the past tense version of that. If I had been smarter, I could have been a doctor in the past. That's third conditional. So remember with could, could can be about ability or possibility. Could have works the same way. Could have can be about past ability and past possibility.
Here's a mixed conditional for you. If I were smart in general in my life, if I were a smart person, I could have been a doctor in the past. That's mixed. By the way, I just said that could have can be about ability and possibility. In the statement, I could have been a doctor, it's not clear without the context whether that's about ability or possibility. Sometimes we need the context to know.
So, let's be clear. The following examples are about past ability. If I could have come home for Christmas, I would have. You could have told me you were running late. If I hadn't changed majors, I could have been a data analyst. True story. The following examples are about possibility. I don't know why she didn't come. She could have been sick. With this usage, could have and might have mean the same thing. She could have been sick. She might have been sick. Maybe she was sick. We don't know. We're just guessing.
The negative could not have is a little bit different. It's not too complicated. Listen to my story. There was a murder in a small town in the United States on January 14th. An anonymous caller reported to the police that it was Frank Jones who committed the murder. Frank Jones is an old retired man. So, the police did an investigation into Frank Jones. When the police did their investigation, they found out that Frank Jones actually has been living in Thailand for the past 3 years and was not even inside the country on January 14th. Therefore, Frank Jones could not have killed the victim. Could not have killed the victim. It's logically impossible. So could have is about logical deductions. We are expressing that something is logically impossible. Notice that the structure is could not have. Third form could not have killed. Example number two. We go to the same school and you tell me I never study but I have seen you in the library studying on many occasions. Therefore, I know that what you told me could not have been true. Logical deduction could not have been true.
Are we good? Questions in comments. Moving on. Would have 101. By the way, if you like this video, like the video and subscribe if you want to see more of my face in your feed.
Quick review. would means will in the past and in imaginary situations. So if you're in the past, you can't say will. You have to say would. And if you're in an imaginary world, you can't say will. You have to say would. If I were rich, I would buy houses in different countries. That's second conditional. Imaginary reality. In reality, I am poor and I don't have a house. would have is the past tense version of this. If I had won the lottery in the past, I would have bought houses in different countries already. The structure is would have plus third form would have bought houses in different countries. If I had heard the news, I would have come sooner. If you had told me, I would have known. If he had done his homework, he would not have failed seventh grade. Would not have failed seventh grade.
In a mixed conditional, we're just mixing times. When we say mixed conditional, we're mixing two and three, but that just means that we're mixing the present future with the past. If I were rich in my life in general, if I were a rich person, I would have gone to a fancy university in the past. By the way, in conversational speech, native speakers often reduce would have to would've or woulda. The same as could have, could've, coulda.
Let's talk about another usage that's very common. It is connected to conditionals, but you don't need a full conditional sentence to use it. I would have loved that. So, you're speculating about the past. I would have loved that. Your friend tells you about a concert that they attended. It's your favorite band. You could say, "I would have loved that. I would have had so much fun. I would have enjoyed that concert." Or the opposite, your friend goes hiking for 12 hours and you hate hiking. I'm so glad I didn't go. I would have hated that. I would have passed out. I would have been so bored. Your friend tells you about a funny movie that they saw. You didn't get to see it. Oh, I wish I would have seen that. I wish I would have seen that. I would have enjoyed that. I would have laughed so hard. Again, the structure is would have plus third form verb. I would have laughed. Would have enjoyed. Would have loved.
Outside of full conditional structures, would have is also used to talk about some excuse. So, I would have called you, but my phone died. I would have come to class on time, but my alarm didn't go off. So, this structure is would have, third form, and then past simple. I would have turned in my assignment on time, but my dog ate my homework. Does that make sense?
Moving on. Should 101. This one is actually pretty easy. Should by itself is giving advice about the present or the future. And should have is giving advice about the past, which if you think about that for 5 seconds is the most useless advice you could ever give. You should have dumped that guy a long time ago. You should have tried harder. You should have quit smoking a long time ago. In conversational speech, native speakers will often reduce should have to just should've or shoulda. You should have quit. Once again, we can also give ourselves this kind of ridiculous advice like I should have tried harder. I should have quit smoking a million years ago. In reality, you cannot give anyone advice about the past, right? So should have is really more about judgment. Like you're just judging that something in reality occurred incorrectly because you know better than reality. You should have called me judging you. I should have listened to my mom judging myself. He should have gotten married when he had the chance. Judging that guy.
There is another way to use should have. Remember from the first video that we can use should to express an expectation that something will happen based on the information that we have. So, the package should arrive by 5:00 p.m. Based on what I know, I expect the package to arrive before 5. We can use should have in the same way, but about a past expectation. Example, I'm waiting for you at the airport. It's 9:00 p.m. Your plane was supposed to arrive at 6:00 p.m. and 3 hours later I still haven't seen you. I'm thinking where is she? The plane should have landed 3 hours ago. It's the same as saying it was supposed to land 3 hours ago. I expected it to land by now. It was scheduled to land already. And already and by now pair really nicely with this usage, right? It should have happened already. It should have happened by now. She should have gotten home already. The store should have opened by now. The package should have arrived by now. And again, the structure is should have plus third form verb. Should have landed, should have arrived, should have opened.
That's pretty much it. I do know that some of you have questions about the difference between could have and might have and I am creating that video right now. So, please subscribe if you want to make sure that you see the next video. Thank you so much for watching until the end and I will see you in the next video. Happy listening. Bye.