Native speakers use the word "Could have" ,literally every single day, but it feels quite confusing for non-native speakers.

Could have use with example sentences. #Could-have
Could have use | The modal verbs

Today,I will try my best to make it easy for you so that you can add Could have in your dictionary and use it confidently to become a fluent English speaker.

Could:

The word "could" is a modal verb and is the past form of the word "can", like the word "would" is the past form of the word "will".

Modal verbs are the types of verbs that are used to talk about possibilities or particular conditions. For example, would, could, should, will, might etc.

In everyday conversations, native speakers also used the word "could" to ask for help or permission. For example: "Could you please do my homework."


Have:

"Have" is a helping verb and is the first form of "had". It is also used to talk about ownership.

For example, I have only two bullets left in my pistol.


Could+have uses in English:

To understand the usage of could have, first, you have to understand the use of can and could, after that, we will dive into the usage of the could have.

 

Can:

Suppose the following condition: 

You are in the park and want to climb up a tree. If you are capable enough to do this activity, then you could say "I can climb up the tree".


Can comes into an action if you want to describe an ability at the present.


Could:

Suppose after fifteen years you go to the same park with your child and you can't climb up the tree now, but you want to tell your children that you were able to do that in the past. Then you could say

"Back in the years, I could climb up the tree" In other words, you can say, "I could climb a tree fifteen years ago, but now I can't."


This sentence means that any ability in the present is can, but in the past, it is could while could have is not the ability or capacity of the past.


Could have:

Could have is actually the possibility or opportunity of the past that you did not avail. To get explain it further consider the same situation.


After a visit to a park without climbing up a tree, you come back home and watch a guy climbing up a tree on the internet. In this situation, you might say,"I could have climbed up the tree, but I didn't".

"Could have" is only used to talk about things you did not do in the past. You could do them, you had the choice but on that spot, you didn't. It is always used to think about past and shows a little bit regret.


Could have, would have, could have are often use pretty interchangeably.If you use should have instead of could have, the sentence would be grammatically correct, but "should have" is a strong expression and shows obligation for the past, whereas could have is a polite and impossible wish for the past.For example: I should have brought umbrella since It's raining cats and dogs.

 

Sentence structure for Could have is;

Subject + could have + verb

"Could have" Example sentences: 

Here are the four example sentences for the word "could have"


1. "I could have given a motivational speech but I didn't for no reason."


2. "Mr John could have sold out the property".


3. "I could have studied hard to beat my competitors but I was busy with an online project".


4. "I could have gone to the party to meet her".


Note: I want you to make a sentence using COULD HAVE and write it down in the comments sections