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English Grammar Step by Step:
Contents
Introduction
Notes
Unit 1: Negative and interrogative sentences
Unit 2: Short answers
Unit 3: Question tags
Unit 4: Questions and exclamations
Unit 5: So, neither, nor, either
Unit 6: Be, used to, would, be/get/become used to, dare, have, get, become, grow, go, turn, fall and feel
Unit 7: Verb tenses: forms
Unit 8: Irregular verbs
Unit 9: Verb tenses: uses
Unit 10: Personal pronouns, possessives and reflexive pronouns
Unit 11: The genitive case
Unit 12: Singular and plural nouns
Unit 13: Gender
Unit 14: A, an, some, any, no, not, none, each, every and the; compounds of some, any, no and every
Unit 15: Neither, not...either, none, not...any, both and all
Unit 16: A few, few, a lot, lots, a little, little, many, much, no and plenty
Unit 17: Enough, too, so and such
Unit 18: Comparative and superlative sentences
Unit 19: The adjective order
Unit 20: Relative clauses
Unit 21: Do and make
Unit 22: Modal verbs
Unit 23: Infinitives, gerunds and present participles
Unit 24: Conditional sentences
Unit 25: Passive sentences
Unit 26: Reported speech
Unit 27: Purpose
Unit 28: Word order
Unit 29: Inversion
Unit 30: Connectors
Unit 31: Prepositions
Unit 32: Phrasal verbs
Intermediate English Grammar:
Contents
Irregular verbs
English Grammar for Beginners:
Contents
Unit 1: A, an, some any and the
Unit 2: Some, any + body/one, + thing, + where
Unit 3: Personal pronouns and possessives
Unit 4: Reflexive pronouns, the reciprocal pronoun "each other" and object pronouns
Unit 5: List of irregular verbs
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Polseguera
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Hosseinabadi
New User
Jan 5, 2010, 10:19 AM
Post #1 of 4
(402495 views)
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Hi
Would you please tell what the correct answer is to the following question:
Adam........ the party because he was ill.
1) Could not attend
2) could not have attended
To tell you the truth, I really have got problem with the difference between" Could not" and " Could not have". I have studied some grammar books, but with no success. Please help me with that.
Thank you
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Mike
User
/ Moderator
Jan 7, 2010, 5:52 PM
Post #2 of 4
(402473 views)
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Hello!
The correct answer is "could not attend", as it means "was not able to attend". When could means "be able to" or "be allowed to", could is followed by a simple infinitive. More information at http://www.polseguera.org/...mmar/modal_verbs.php
Could have + past participle is used for possibility in the past. More information at http://www.polseguera.org/...mar/modal_verbs1.php
Examples:
I could swim like a fish when I was five. (ability)
She could have gone to visit her grandfather. Let's ring him to see if she's there.
You could have taken the lift. Now it is working again. (Why didn't you take it?)
You should not have entered that area alone. It is very dangerous. You could have been robbed.
Best regards,
Mike
(This post was edited by Mike on Jan 11, 2010, 9:31 PM)
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Mike
User
/ Moderator
Jan 7, 2010, 7:39 PM
Post #3 of 4
(402464 views)
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Hello, again!
I forgot to include a couple of examples about could not and could not have:
Margaret could not have had a car accident last night. She was ill in bed. (That is, it is impossible that Margaret had a car accident last night, as she was at home.)
I could not read when I was two. I was too young. (ability, the same as "I was not able to read when I was two")
I could not arrive home late when I was a teenager. My parents wanted me to be at home at dusk. (permission, the same as "I was not allowed to arrive home late")
Best regards,
Mike
(This post was edited by Mike on Oct 29, 2010, 5:12 PM)
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chenchen21621
New User
Oct 27, 2010, 7:26 AM
Post #4 of 4
(400681 views)
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This is a really great website
Thanks for your posting;
Hope you can keep going.
(This post was edited by Mike on Oct 27, 2010, 7:47 PM)
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