could have informed

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "could have informed" is correct and usable in written English.
It is typically used to express a possibility or hypothetical situation in the past where someone had the opportunity to provide information. Example: "She could have informed us about the changes in the schedule, but she chose not to."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

22 human-written examples

Their spirit – more "Ahh" than "Wow!" – could have informed a very different type of architecture.

The Guardian - Arts

Someone knew that," she said, "and someone could have informed the coach who is making that decision".

The New York Times - Sports

He could have informed the ref that actually the foul had not taken place outside the box but inside.

The Guardian - Sport

While not questioning his opponents' patriotism, he said: "Giuliani could have informed himself by remaining on the Iraq Study Group.

The New York Times

Marco Rubio, of Florida, suggested that Comey could have informed the White House counsel that "someone needs to go tell the President that he can't do these things".

The New Yorker

A handwritten sign on a nearby barricade, even with its imperfect spelling, could have informed her better: the opera was "Thurandot".

The New York Times - Arts

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

37 human-written examples

It could also have informed its legal services department and contacted car manufacturers to ask whether their cars were causing a serious environmental problem that necessitated their recall.

The Guardian

A social scientist could also have informed the authors of the report that the suggestion that the poorest members of society –– or the poorest of the poorest nations –– will profit from AI because they can now use their iPads to go online and take college classes is kind of embarrassing.

Huffington Post

Evaluation of the expected risks of transmission under such conditions could, however, have informed the formulation of Control and/or Surveillance Zones beyond the mandatory 10 km.

Plosone

Could spiritual wisdom have informed -- could it still inform -- our response to this ongoing threat?

Huffington Post

Because we have informed ourselves.

The New Yorker

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "could have informed", ensure the context clearly indicates what information was not shared and who would have benefited from it.

Common error

Avoid using "could have informed" when discussing present or future scenarios. This phrase refers to a missed opportunity in the past, not a potential one in the future. Use alternatives like "could inform" or "can inform" for current or future contexts.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "could have informed" functions as a modal verb phrase expressing a past possibility that did not occur. It indicates that someone had the ability or opportunity to provide information but failed to do so. As Ludwig AI confirms, this construction is grammatically correct and widely used.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

40%

Science

35%

Formal & Business

25%

Less common in

Academia

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "could have informed" is a modal verb phrase used to express a past missed opportunity to share information. As Ludwig AI confirms, it is grammatically correct and commonly used in News & Media, Science, and Formal & Business contexts. When using "could have informed", be sure you are referencing a potential that did not occurred in the past. Related phrases such as "should have notified" or "might have alerted" "might have alerted" can be used depending on the specific context and desired level of formality.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

could have communicated

Focuses on the broader act of communicating information, regardless of the method.

should have notified

Indicates an expectation or obligation to provide notification that was not fulfilled.

might have alerted

Suggests a possibility of providing an alert or warning.

should have made aware

Highlights the responsibility to ensure someone is conscious of particular information.

could have enlightened

Emphasizes that someone was in a state of ignorance, and someone had the power to remove that ignorance.

would have advised

Implies a hypothetical scenario where advice could have been given.

would have explained

Similar to 'advised', it suggests a hypothetical explanation that did not take place.

may have briefed

Indicates the possibility of a briefing that potentially did not occur.

might have clarified

Suggests that some confusion might have been cleared with an explanation.

may have instructed

Implies that there was a chance to provide some instructions that was missed.

FAQs

How can I use "could have informed" in a sentence?

Use "could have informed" to express that someone had the opportunity to provide information, but didn't. For example: "The manager could have informed the team about the project changes earlier."

What's a more formal alternative to "could have informed"?

In formal settings, consider using "should have notified" or "might have advised" as alternatives to "could have informed".

What's the difference between "could have informed" and "should have informed"?

"Could have informed" suggests a possibility that wasn't realized, while "should have informed" implies a duty or expectation that wasn't met.

Is it correct to say "could of informed" instead of "could have informed"?

No, "could of informed" is grammatically incorrect. The correct phrase is always "could have informed". "Could've" is a contraction of "could have", but "could of" is never correct.