Question
Updated on
6 May 2021
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Korean
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English (US)
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English (UK)
Question about English (US)
What is the difference between Do you think I could have done that? and Do you think I could do that? ?Feel free to just provide example sentences.
What is the difference between Do you think I could have done that? and Do you think I could do that? ?Feel free to just provide example sentences.
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6 May 2021
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- English (US)
If there's a rumor that I killed someone, it would be correct to ask both "Do you think I could do that" and Do you think I could have done that". Whether I did it or not doesn't make one sentence better than the other.
The actual difference between the two is that the point in time, that you do the thinking (whether it's possible that I am able to do this) can be slightly different between the two, but not necessarily.
I don't think that there are many situations where it is important at what point of time that someone thought whether or not you could do something. Perhaps only testifying in a Court of Law is where that timing would be important.
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- English (US)
They pretty much mean the same. But the first one is could be more hypothetical.
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- Ukrainian
- English (US)
I can't choose one over the other. Sorry, but English sucks like that.
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- English (US)
Both are correct in normal, natural conversation. There is a slight difference that really just implies when the person decided that you were able to do it. But, it is a very small, subtle difference that doesn't really matter in most cases.
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- English (US)
If there's a rumor that I killed someone, it would be correct to ask both "Do you think I could do that" and Do you think I could have done that". Whether I did it or not doesn't make one sentence better than the other.
The actual difference between the two is that the point in time, that you do the thinking (whether it's possible that I am able to do this) can be slightly different between the two, but not necessarily.
I don't think that there are many situations where it is important at what point of time that someone thought whether or not you could do something. Perhaps only testifying in a Court of Law is where that timing would be important.
Was this answer helpful?
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