當我哋想用英文表達「應該、可以、想要」去做某件事,但冇去做,應該點樣講呢?最常用嘅就係could have, would have, should have啦,但係唔少人其實唔係好清楚佢哋係用法上有咩分別,係考試嘅時候會唔小心用錯!我哋會詳細說明佢哋嘅用法同分別,一齊黎睇下啦!

1. Could have

「Could have + 過去分詞」用來表達原本可能可以做,或過去有能力做,但是卻沒有去做。

I could have gone directly to college, but I decided to travel for a year.

我本可以直接上大學,但我決定去旅行一年。

「Could have + 過去分詞」還有另外一個用法,就是當你表示對某個人說的話強烈贊同的時候,可以說「I couldn’t have said it better myself」。

「Couldn’t have + 過去分詞」,則是用來表達,某件事是沒可能達成的。

She could not have been on that flight because I just saw her at work.

她不可能在那架飛機上,因為我剛剛看到她在工作。

2. Would have

「would have + 過去分詞」用來表達某件事你很想做,但卻沒去做,就用「I would have A, but I had to B」。

I would have called, but there was no phone service.

我本來想打電話的,但是沒有電話服務。

Would have也可以構成過去虛擬條件(past unreal conditional)的結果從句,比如:

If I had known they were vegetarians, I would have made a salad.

如果我早知道他們是素食者,我就做沙拉了。

3. Should have

「should have + 過去分詞」用來表達某件事是你應該去做的,但卻沒做。

I’m sorry that I’m late for work. I should have woken up earlier.

很抱歉我遲到了,我應該早一點起床的。

should have有時候會加上by now,用來表達某件事應該如何發生,但卻沒發生。

The plane should have arrived by now.

這飛機應該現在要抵達了。