could have made

USAGE SUMMARY

"could have made" is correct and usable in written English.
It is used to refer to a possible action or event in the past, but one that didn't actually occur. For example, "I could have made it to the party, but I decided to stay home instead."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

"We could have made other plans.

The New York Times - Sports

Generally, he could have made better decisions.

The New York Times - Sports

And who could have made it?

Independent

"I could have made that better".

The New Yorker

Technically, almost anyone could have made it.

The New York Times - Arts

Hitchcock could have made it.

The New York Times

You could have made yourself a salad.

The Guardian

She could have made a simpler point.

The Washington Post

… You could have made that guy miss.

The New York Times - Sports

He could have made a deal.

The Washington Post

We could have made a documentary.

The New York Times - Arts

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "could have made" to express a missed opportunity or a potential action that didn't occur. It's crucial to provide context to explain why the action wasn't taken or its potential consequences.

Common error

Avoid using "could of made" as it's a common misspelling. Always use "could have made," where "have" is the auxiliary verb.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "could have made" functions as a modal verb phrase expressing a past possibility or potential action that did not actually occur. According to Ludwig AI, this phrase is grammatically correct and widely used.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

55%

Science

25%

Formal & Business

10%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

5%

Wiki

3%

Reference

2%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "could have made" is a versatile modal verb phrase used to express past possibilities, missed opportunities, or hypothetical scenarios. According to Ludwig AI, the phrase is grammatically sound and very common in written English. It is particularly frequent in news and media, indicating its widespread applicability. Common errors to avoid include misspellings like "could of made". When using this phrase, provide context to clarify the missed opportunity or potential outcome. Remember, "could have made" opens the door to exploring "what ifs" and reflecting on alternative past actions.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

was capable of creating

Replaces the modal "could have" with a direct statement of past capability using "was capable of".

had the ability to produce

Emphasizes the ability to produce something, similar to "made", but with a focus on potential.

would have been able to construct

Uses "would have been able" to convey a sense of potential achievement, highlighting construction.

was in a position to develop

Focuses on having the opportunity or position to develop something.

had the option to generate

Highlights the existence of an option to generate something.

might have crafted

Uses "might have" to suggest a possibility, while "crafted" implies skillful creation.

could potentially have built

Adds emphasis to potential and building something.

was able to fashion

Similar to "could have made" but uses "fashion" to imply creating something with care.

had the resources to assemble

Focuses on the availability of resources for assembling something.

would have devised

Implies a plan or invention that could have been realized.

FAQs

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

Use "could have made" to express a past possibility that didn't happen. For example, "I "could have made" a different choice, but I didn't."

What's a synonym for "could have made"?

Alternatives include "was capable of creating", "had the ability to produce", or "would have been able to construct", depending on the context.

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

No, "could of made" is grammatically incorrect. The correct form is "could have made". "Of" is a preposition, while "have" is an auxiliary verb forming the perfect tense.

What is the difference between "could have made" and "should have made"?

"Could have made" expresses a possibility that existed in the past but didn't occur, while "should have made" expresses regret that a particular action wasn't taken. For example, "I "could have made" a different choice, but I didn't" vs. "I "should have made" a different choice."