“What can have happened?” - valid or unnatural?
In a language forum frequented by Russians and me as the only native American English speaker, the question was raised whether "What can have happened to change him so much?" was a misprint One of the Russians immediately changed can to could. I noticed this and asked her why she had changed it since I considered it correct with can. That prompted another Russian to inform me that since he hasn't found examples of the present perfect with can in any grammars, it's unnatural and invalid and that the only correct form is could with the present perfect.
As a native speaker, I've heard questions like "What can she have done to piss him off like that?" and "Where can she have gone?" all my life. However, I'm hard put to explain the difference, and, to be frank, I've gone back and forth with this man so much on this that I can't see the forest for the trees.
A few days later, I came across a book review in the New York Times - a publication that I have always respected for it's excellent editing and style - and there, in the second paragraph of the article, the author posed the question "What can have happened to this woman?"
Although this type of question makes perfect sense to me, I'm having a hard time explaining it. In terms of how I perceive it as a native speaker, all I can say is that it seems to have greater present "validity" than it would with could. By definition, the present perfect is used to refer to an action that took place in the past but has a bearing on the present. As such, I feel it can be questioned from a past or present perspective, depending on the speaker's point of view. For instance, if Billy was supposed to be here at 3:00 to unlock the door, I could ask "Where can he have gone?" at 3:00 from the perspective that he IS not here, or "Where could he have gone?" at or after 3:00 from the perspective that he WAS not there at the appointed time.
Perhaps my interpretation is off and someone will have a better explanation. But one thing I'm sure of is that this construction is by no means unnatural and no less English than the construction with could.
usage present-perfect
asked Mar 29 at 3:25
CocoPopCocoPop
1397
add a comment |
In a language forum frequented by Russians and me as the only native American English speaker, the question was raised whether "What can have happened to change him so much?" was a misprint One of the Russians immediately changed can to could. I noticed this and asked her why she had changed it since I considered it correct with can. That prompted another Russian to inform me that since he hasn't found examples of the present perfect with can in any grammars, it's unnatural and invalid and that the only correct form is could with the present perfect.
As a native speaker, I've heard questions like "What can she have done to piss him off like that?" and "Where can she have gone?" all my life. However, I'm hard put to explain the difference, and, to be frank, I've gone back and forth with this man so much on this that I can't see the forest for the trees.
A few days later, I came across a book review in the New York Times - a publication that I have always respected for it's excellent editing and style - and there, in the second paragraph of the article, the author posed the question "What can have happened to this woman?"
Although this type of question makes perfect sense to me, I'm having a hard time explaining it. In terms of how I perceive it as a native speaker, all I can say is that it seems to have greater present "validity" than it would with could. By definition, the present perfect is used to refer to an action that took place in the past but has a bearing on the present. As such, I feel it can be questioned from a past or present perspective, depending on the speaker's point of view. For instance, if Billy was supposed to be here at 3:00 to unlock the door, I could ask "Where can he have gone?" at 3:00 from the perspective that he IS not here, or "Where could he have gone?" at or after 3:00 from the perspective that he WAS not there at the appointed time.
Perhaps my interpretation is off and someone will have a better explanation. But one thing I'm sure of is that this construction is by no means unnatural and no less English than the construction with could.
usage present-perfect
asked Mar 29 at 3:25
CocoPopCocoPop
1397
@AleksandrH Obviously English isn’t your first language - learn English, then we’ll talk 😉
– CocoPop
2 days ago
"Obviously" Based on what? It's not grammatically correct to use "can have" in the perfect tense like that. It's supposed to be "could have." I have personally never heard someone say "can have happened"—it's always could. Your version sounds unnatural to my native ears.
– AleksandrH
2 days ago
@AleksandrH "never" is a big word: google.com/…
– CocoPop
2 days ago
add a comment |
In a language forum frequented by Russians and me as the only native American English speaker, the question was raised whether "What can have happened to change him so much?" was a misprint One of the Russians immediately changed can to could. I noticed this and asked her why she had changed it since I considered it correct with can. That prompted another Russian to inform me that since he hasn't found examples of the present perfect with can in any grammars, it's unnatural and invalid and that the only correct form is could with the present perfect.
As a native speaker, I've heard questions like "What can she have done to piss him off like that?" and "Where can she have gone?" all my life. However, I'm hard put to explain the difference, and, to be frank, I've gone back and forth with this man so much on this that I can't see the forest for the trees.
A few days later, I came across a book review in the New York Times - a publication that I have always respected for it's excellent editing and style - and there, in the second paragraph of the article, the author posed the question "What can have happened to this woman?"
Although this type of question makes perfect sense to me, I'm having a hard time explaining it. In terms of how I perceive it as a native speaker, all I can say is that it seems to have greater present "validity" than it would with could. By definition, the present perfect is used to refer to an action that took place in the past but has a bearing on the present. As such, I feel it can be questioned from a past or present perspective, depending on the speaker's point of view. For instance, if Billy was supposed to be here at 3:00 to unlock the door, I could ask "Where can he have gone?" at 3:00 from the perspective that he IS not here, or "Where could he have gone?" at or after 3:00 from the perspective that he WAS not there at the appointed time.
Perhaps my interpretation is off and someone will have a better explanation. But one thing I'm sure of is that this construction is by no means unnatural and no less English than the construction with could.
usage present-perfect
asked Mar 29 at 3:25
CocoPopCocoPop
1397
In a language forum frequented by Russians and me as the only native American English speaker, the question was raised whether "What can have happened to change him so much?" was a misprint One of the Russians immediately changed can to could. I noticed this and asked her why she had changed it since I considered it correct with can. That prompted another Russian to inform me that since he hasn't found examples of the present perfect with can in any grammars, it's unnatural and invalid and that the only correct form is could with the present perfect.
As a native speaker, I've heard questions like "What can she have done to piss him off like that?" and "Where can she have gone?" all my life. However, I'm hard put to explain the difference, and, to be frank, I've gone back and forth with this man so much on this that I can't see the forest for the trees.
A few days later, I came across a book review in the New York Times - a publication that I have always respected for it's excellent editing and style - and there, in the second paragraph of the article, the author posed the question "What can have happened to this woman?"
Although this type of question makes perfect sense to me, I'm having a hard time explaining it. In terms of how I perceive it as a native speaker, all I can say is that it seems to have greater present "validity" than it would with could. By definition, the present perfect is used to refer to an action that took place in the past but has a bearing on the present. As such, I feel it can be questioned from a past or present perspective, depending on the speaker's point of view. For instance, if Billy was supposed to be here at 3:00 to unlock the door, I could ask "Where can he have gone?" at 3:00 from the perspective that he IS not here, or "Where could he have gone?" at or after 3:00 from the perspective that he WAS not there at the appointed time.
Perhaps my interpretation is off and someone will have a better explanation. But one thing I'm sure of is that this construction is by no means unnatural and no less English than the construction with could.
usage present-perfect
usage present-perfect
asked Mar 29 at 3:25
CocoPopCocoPop
1397
asked Mar 29 at 3:25
CocoPopCocoPop
1397
asked Mar 29 at 3:25
CocoPopCocoPop
1397
asked Mar 29 at 3:25
CocoPopCocoPop
1397
asked Mar 29 at 3:25
CocoPopCocoPop
1397
1397
@AleksandrH Obviously English isn’t your first language - learn English, then we’ll talk 😉
– CocoPop
2 days ago
"Obviously" Based on what? It's not grammatically correct to use "can have" in the perfect tense like that. It's supposed to be "could have." I have personally never heard someone say "can have happened"—it's always could. Your version sounds unnatural to my native ears.
– AleksandrH
2 days ago
@AleksandrH "never" is a big word: google.com/…
– CocoPop
2 days ago
add a comment |
@AleksandrH Obviously English isn’t your first language - learn English, then we’ll talk 😉
– CocoPop
2 days ago
"Obviously" Based on what? It's not grammatically correct to use "can have" in the perfect tense like that. It's supposed to be "could have." I have personally never heard someone say "can have happened"—it's always could. Your version sounds unnatural to my native ears.
– AleksandrH
2 days ago
@AleksandrH "never" is a big word: google.com/…
– CocoPop
2 days ago
@AleksandrH Obviously English isn’t your first language - learn English, then we’ll talk 😉
– CocoPop
2 days ago
@AleksandrH Obviously English isn’t your first language - learn English, then we’ll talk 😉
– CocoPop
2 days ago
"Obviously" Based on what? It's not grammatically correct to use "can have" in the perfect tense like that. It's supposed to be "could have." I have personally never heard someone say "can have happened"—it's always could. Your version sounds unnatural to my native ears.
– AleksandrH
2 days ago
"Obviously" Based on what? It's not grammatically correct to use "can have" in the perfect tense like that. It's supposed to be "could have." I have personally never heard someone say "can have happened"—it's always could. Your version sounds unnatural to my native ears.
– AleksandrH
2 days ago
@AleksandrH "never" is a big word: google.com/…
– CocoPop
2 days ago
@AleksandrH "never" is a big word: google.com/…
– CocoPop
2 days ago
add a comment |
1 Answer
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Yes, your explanation is correct. At the present moment we wonder "What can have happened?" Speaking of an earlier time, someone could say "I wondered what could have happened."
answered 2 days ago
Kate BuntingKate Bunting
6,56131518
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1 Answer
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Yes, your explanation is correct. At the present moment we wonder "What can have happened?" Speaking of an earlier time, someone could say "I wondered what could have happened."
answered 2 days ago
Kate BuntingKate Bunting
6,56131518
add a comment |
Yes, your explanation is correct. At the present moment we wonder "What can have happened?" Speaking of an earlier time, someone could say "I wondered what could have happened."
answered 2 days ago
Kate BuntingKate Bunting
6,56131518
add a comment |
Yes, your explanation is correct. At the present moment we wonder "What can have happened?" Speaking of an earlier time, someone could say "I wondered what could have happened."
answered 2 days ago
Kate BuntingKate Bunting
6,56131518
Yes, your explanation is correct. At the present moment we wonder "What can have happened?" Speaking of an earlier time, someone could say "I wondered what could have happened."
answered 2 days ago
Kate BuntingKate Bunting
6,56131518
answered 2 days ago
Kate BuntingKate Bunting
6,56131518
answered 2 days ago
Kate BuntingKate Bunting
6,56131518
answered 2 days ago
Kate BuntingKate Bunting
6,56131518
6,56131518
add a comment |
add a comment |
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@AleksandrH Obviously English isn’t your first language - learn English, then we’ll talk 😉
– CocoPop
2 days ago
"Obviously" Based on what? It's not grammatically correct to use "can have" in the perfect tense like that. It's supposed to be "could have." I have personally never heard someone say "can have happened"—it's always could. Your version sounds unnatural to my native ears.
– AleksandrH
2 days ago
@AleksandrH "never" is a big word: google.com/…
– CocoPop
2 days ago