"could/might"for present and past

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Ahmedali111

#338517 Mon, 12 Mar 07 10:25 PM

as as I know when expressing probabilty in the past we say

you might /could have won (past)

and for present

you might/could win (present)

but when reading a story the present form is used for something which happened in the narration while it is in the past , how is that? for example : "Joahn could choose the red one , but........"

Ahmedali111

Joined on Wed, Jul 26 2006

Iraq

Junior Member (53)

Doll

#338710 Tue, 13 Mar 07 01:00 PM

Yes I faced with such usage too.But you can see this in newspaper articles and while you are listening to a soccer game from the radio.Also when one of my native friends tells me a story she uses present tense.I think it is either used like that in the specific usages or there is a much better explanation Big Smile [:D]

Doll

Joined on Sat, Mar 10 2007

Turkey

Senior Member (2,597)

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CalifJim

#338854 Tue, 13 Mar 07 07:23 PM

I do not fully understand your point. John could choose the red one (i.e., John would be able to choose the red one) seems to be a "present" usage of could, and yet you are asking about a "past" usage of could. Can you clarify what you mean, perhaps with an example with clearer context?

CJ

CalifJim

Joined on Mon, Aug 2 2004

California

Veteran Member (18,344)

"There are no facts, only interpretations" - Nietzsche

Doll

#338874 Tue, 13 Mar 07 08:21 PM

He just thinks that could can only be the past form of can ,nothing else.

Doll

Goodman

#338912 Tue, 13 Mar 07 10:26 PM

“Could” or “might” are not indictors of past, although it may seem that way at times. They are more of a suggestive indicator of possibility or probability.

I could have stayed home (but I didn’t) to rest up my cold, but I have a lot of work to do in the office.

It may have been helpful in getting your application processed if you had the correct information. (but you didn’t have the correct info)

Goodman

Joined on Mon, Nov 7 2005

Calif. USA

Senior Member (3,252)

The name says it all!

Ahmedali111

#339140 Wed, 14 Mar 07 12:22 PM

Thank you all

My point is( IN STORIES AND NOVELS" could" and " might" are used without adding " have " to them while talking about a possiblility in the past). does it happen in narration only ?

Ahmedali111

Marius Hancu

#339144 Wed, 14 Mar 07 12:30 PM

Ahmedali111 wrote:

My point is( IN STORIES AND NOVELS" could" and " might" are used without adding " have " to them while talking about a possiblility in the past). does it happen in narration only ?

No, I don't think you understood Goodman's point.

could have done

means he was in a position of doing something, something was possible for him, but didn't do in in the end.

Thus have is an indicator of possible, but many times not completed actions, in the past.

Marius Hancu

Joined on Wed, Apr 26 2006

Montreal, Canada

Veteran Member (11,673)