student asking question

Could you describe the image of "could've set"? Possibility in the past?

teacher

Native speaker’s answer

Rebecca

"Could've set" is short for "could have set" and is in the past form. When using "could have," it is indicating that something was possible to occur or happen in the past. Typically, it's used in more of a hypothetical situation, as though something could have happened in the past but isn't likely to have happened. Lucy is telling Gru that El Macho may have planted traps, even though Gru thinks it is unlikely. Ex: She could have been there, but she decided to stay home instead. Ex: We could have gone to the beach, but we decided to go to the pool instead. Ex: We don't know what kind of lies he could have told us.

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