How do you use could have?

"Could have" is a modal verb used to express past possibility or regret about something that did not happen. It's a combination of "could" (ability in the past) and "have" (used to form the perfect tense).

Here's how you can use "could have":

1. Past Possibility:

* "I could have gone to the party, but I was too tired." (It was possible, but I didn't.)

* "They could have won the game, but they made too many mistakes." (It was a possibility, but they didn't.)

2. Regret:

* "I could have studied harder for the test, but I didn't." (I wish I had studied more.)

* "I could have told her how I felt, but I was too afraid." (I wish I had been brave enough.)

3. Hypothetical Situations:

* "If I had won the lottery, I could have bought a new car." (This is hypothetical, I didn't win.)

* "If I had been born in another country, I could have learned a different language." (This is hypothetical, I wasn't born elsewhere.)

4. Polite Suggestions:

* "You could have mentioned this earlier." (This is a polite way to express that it would have been helpful if they mentioned it earlier.)

* "We could have started the meeting earlier." (This is a suggestion about something that didn't happen.)

Remember:

* "Could have" is followed by the past participle of the verb.

* It can express a range of emotions, including possibility, regret, disappointment, and frustration.

* "Could have" is often used in conditional sentences (if, then).

Let me know if you'd like to see some more examples or have any other questions!