Should Have vs Could Have vs Would Have Basic English Grammar

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Hi everybody, welcome back to Ask Alisha,
the weekly series where you ask me questions

and I answer them. Maybe!

Your first question comes from…

Meizzhan.

Hi, Meizzhan.

Meizzhan says, Hi Alisha, what’s the difference
between picture, image, and photo?

In most cases, we use them the same.

When you use a camera, you can say photo or
picture.

Take a picture or take a photo.

We use them the same way.

So, image can refer, yes, to a picture or
to a photo, though it does sound more like

something maybe printed or published.

Generally speaking, image is used to refer
to a depiction or a representation of something

else.

So that means it could be like, a painting.

This is an image of a goddess.

This is an image of a person on a boat, for
example.

So image is a depiction; a representation
of something.

So that means it can be physical and it can
also be in your mind.

Like, a mental picture of something–we could
also call that an image.

We have an image of something in our heads.

So like, my image of her is ruined!

Or, I have a really good image of that person.

Hope that helps you.

Okay, let’s move on to your next question.

Next question comes from Her Line Bieber.

Hi Her Line.

Hi Alisha, I want to know if I speak in British
English in America, will Amerians understand

me?

And vice versa?

Uh, yes.

They should.

There should be no reason why an American
English speaker should not understand a British

English speaker or vice versa.

It should not be a problem.

Thanks very much for the question.

Let’s move on to your next question.

Next question comes from…Alejandro.

Hi, Alejandro.

Alejandro says, Hi Alisha, I have a question.

What’s the meaning of the expression “much
obligated,” and how can I use this?

I’m not sure about much obligated.

That’s not really an expression we use.

We do have the expression “much obliged.”

Much obliged.

Um, which is like “thank you very much for
helping me and I owe you for this.”

So, if someone does something for you, you
can say “much obliged.”

It sounds rather formal, and for some people
perhaps a little bit old fashioned, actually.

You could use it at like the end of an email,
for example.

Thanks very much for the files; much obliged.

That sort of thing.

Like, I owe you in return.

So I hope that that helps you.

Thanks very much for the question.

Next question comes from Fabrizzio Sanchez.

Hi, Fabrizzio.

Fabrizzio says, can you explain the differences
between should have, could have, would have,

and their negative forms?

Yes, but a proper answer is much bigger than
just this Q&A video, so here’s a quick, short

answer.

Should have is used to talk about things we
wish we had done in the past, or we wish we

had not done in the past.

I should have studied more when I was a student.

I shouldn’t have had so much to drink last
night.

So, we often have this kind of feeling of
regret when we use should have or should not

have.

Could have refers to something that was possible
in the past, or impossible in the past.

I could have finished work at 6 today if my
boss hadn’t given me a last-minute task.

Did you see that guy in the car?

Was that Davey?

Nah, that couldn’t have been Davey.

He’s at work today.

Could not _____ means “impossible.”

So, “could not have been Davey” in that situation
means it’s impossible for that to have been

Davey just now, in the past.

Uh, would have and would not have refers to
a future action in the past.

We are imagining ourselves as like in the
past, thinking about our future activities.

I would have gone to the concert, but I had
to work.

I wouldn’t have quit my job if I were you.

So I’ll try to make a whiteboard video about
this in the future.

Thanks very much for the question.

Let’s move on to your next question for this
week.

Next question comes from Sridhar Reddy.

Hi, Sridhar.

Sridhar says, Hi Alisha.

How do I use the word “wanting” in a sentence,
and what does it mean?

So we tend not to use mental state or emotional
state verbs in anything other than the present

tense or past tense.

So “want” is an example of this.

We tend not to use “want” in the progressive
tense, but in a situation like “I have been

wanting,” where we’re talking about desiring
something over a period of time that started

in the past and continues to the present,
we can use “wanting.”

I’ve been wanting to see that movie for a
long time.

Or, she’s been wanting to take a vacation
for a long time.

Or like, I’ve been wanting to eat that dessert
for a long time.

I hope that that helps you.

Okay, let’s move on to your next question.

Next question comes from Izzaldeen.

Hi, Izzaldeen.

Uh, Izzaldeen says, what is the difference
between “where were you yesterday” and “where

you have been yesterday”?

Uh, the difference is that the second sentence
is incorrect.

Uh, “where were you yesterday” means “what
was your location yesterday”?

The second sentence could be “where have you
been,” or “where have you been since yesterday”?

The first one is more common.

Where have you been?

This question means, uh, what was your location
(or what were your locations) since the last

time I saw you.

So this is a question that commonly sounds
like you’re accusing someone.

So, if you expected to see someone and you
did not see someone, like you’ve been waiting

for a long time for someone, you can say “where
have you been?!”

I was waiting for you!

That kind of thing.

We would use a question like “where were you
yesterday” if we were expecting to see someone

and they did not come as plannned.

Where were you yesterday?

What happened?

I was expecting to see you.

Thanks very much for the question.

Hope that helps.

Let’s move on to your next question.

Next question comes from Marcelo Oliveira.

Hi again, Marcelo.

Marcelo says, Hi Alisha, what is the difference
between vane, vain, and vein?

Yeah, a dictionary is helpful for questions
like these.

Uh, vane, V-A-N-E is a noun.

That’s part of a tool that’s used to measure
wind or liquid, like the vanes of a windmill,

for example.

Vain, V-A-I-N, is an adjective that means
someone who is obsessed with themselves, like

“he’s so vain,” “she’s so vain, it’s ridiculous.”

Vein, V-E-I-N is a part of the body.

It’s also a noun.

It’s used to refer to the part of the body
that carries blood.

I hope that that helps you.

Again, a dictionary is really helpful to understand
the differences between words that sound and

are spelled similar.

All right, so that’s everything that I have
for this week.

Thank you as always for sending your great
questions.

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Bye bye!