How can how could

R ruifeng Member. If someone has made a mistake, which of the following sentences could I use: 1. How can you be so careless? How could you be so careless? How could you have been so careless? How can you have been so careless? Many thanks! Original Post. Hi, Ruifeng, Nice to be on this wonderful forum again with its respectable and dear members and moderators. David, Moderator Moderator. Look at the sound waves in the recording. How can Armstrong have said "That's one small step for a man"?

FM Former Member. Thank you guys! Images 1. Membership Required We're sorry. You must be signed in to continue. I'd appreciate your help. Improve this question. Apollyon Apollyon 3, 4 4 gold badges 29 29 silver badges 60 60 bronze badges. What's the context? For example, if it's said in relation to past behaviour or a past situation, use could.

If for present or continuing, use can. Thank you for your first question! We need more context to give you a useful answer, though. As Lawrence says, either can or could might be appropriate here. Please read our tour and Help Center pages, and also our Details, Please meta post.

They will help you write a better question. Dant Reinstate Monica. I knew some of you would say "could" is the past tense of "can". But unfortunately, that's irrelevant to the question, even if it's a fact. There's no context, as it is taken from a dictionary. The point is that without context, there is no way to answer your question. In one context, we would say "How can I concentrate with you breathing down my neck all the time? If we were talking about the past or future, we might use the latter.

Did you use the search field to look for other questions like yours? Show 1 more comment. Active Oldest Votes. In the same comment you said "Could" seems to be the choice in a rhetorical question, e. A rhetorical question can be expressed in terms intended to persuade or to impress the importance of a "fact", so therefore, rhetorics can be used in the irrealis mood, as you can have a subjunctive mood, If I loved you, do you think I would do that?

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