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  1. That was a lucky escape! You might have been killed.
  2. That was a lucky escape! You could have been killed.

Which one is more suitable in this situation? Is there any difference between them?

Thanks in advance!

mplungjan
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Elinor
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1 Answers1

0

Could have = it was possible

Might have = it was permitted

Could is the past tense of can, and might is the past tense of may. Can expresses things that are possible in an objective sense; may expresses things that are permitted or can readily be envisaged. For example::

What will you do if you don't become a model? I can become a zoologist. I know that because I have good grades.

What will you do if you don't become a model? I may become a zoologist. I don't know if it will interest me, though.

Using present and future tenses instead of past tenses makes the statements much more definite, much less hypothetical. Hypotheticals are usually expressed with past tenses.

So, i think "You could have been killed." is the more suitable.

Community
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DemoUser
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  • Could you give me an example of "might" for the meaning: things can readily be envisaged. Thanks for your useful answer! – Elinor Jun 18 '14 at 09:43
  • @user80449 updated my answer – DemoUser Jun 18 '14 at 09:59
  • There's more to "might" than that, it's not always about permission ("you might be right" is not giving someone permission to be right). Seems to me that the OP's example is one in which the difference is extremely minimal. How would you interpret his second sentence using the "permitted" idea? I think most people would hear "You might have been killed" without thinking that permission was involved. – Rupe Jun 18 '14 at 10:18
  • I think it's important in the test that which one is MORE SUITABLE. I agree with you that "OP's example is one in which the difference is extremely minimal". Like Sudhir said "may" also mean things can readily be envisaged.To your opinion, which one is more suitable? Thanks for your idea! – Elinor Jun 18 '14 at 12:12
  • -1 Might is not used as a past tense of may when the latter expresses permission. See https://english.stackexchange.com/questions/3785/are-might-and-should-past-tenses-of-may-and-shall-respectively – Arm the good guys in America Aug 08 '17 at 16:58