grammar · neutral
If + subject + could have + past participle, would have + past participle
Expresses past possibility/regret: if something could have happened (but didn't), then a different past outcome would have occurred — common in colloquial speech to stress what might have been possible.
Examples
“If I could have chosen, I would have picked the scholarship instead.”
“If they could have arrived earlier, they would have seen the opening speech.”
“If we could have afforded the repairs, we would have fixed the roof before winter.”
Band 8 sentence
“If we could have predicted the economic downturn, we would have diversified investments earlier.”
Common mistakes
If I could have gone, I would go.→If I could have gone, I would have gone.
If she could have known, she would tell us.→If she could have known, she would have told us.
Say it for a higher band
5If + past perfect, would have + past participle→6If + past perfect, might have + past participle→7+If + subject + could have + past participle, would have + past participle
Easily confused
If + past perfect, would have + past participle
“If I had seen the map, I would have found the place.”
Related words
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In Conditionals
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