can, could, may, must, shall, should, would
1.What's the difference between "can","could"and"be able to"?
2.What's the difference between "should have done" and "could have done"?
eg. It's wonderful that you _____ achieved so much in these years.
I told Sally how to get there,but perhaps I _____ written it out for her.
Well,I want to share some of my own understanding about this question. : )
In my opinion, these three words are quite similar to each other, and they can substitute for each other in many context. But the differences between these three words is that the point they emphasize and the intensity of the tone.
1. "can" and "could" are all modal verb, and they all carry the meaning of guessing. "could" is the past tense of "can", which can be used in sentences in past tense. But "could" can also be used in present tense, describing more politely.
2." can/could be" also has a meaning of “it probably be...”
3. "be able to" is more likely to emphasize on an ability, meaning that someone owns the ability to manage or complete this thing, and this ability is not equipped with everyone else.
so for the example, I think it should go like this:
It's wonderful that you are able to achieve achieved(?) so much in these years.
I told Sally how to get there,but perhaps I __could_have__ written it out for her.
Rebecca
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