what it could have been vs what it would have been

Both phrases are correct, but they are used in different contexts. 'What it could have been' is used when discussing possibilities or potential outcomes in the past, while 'what it would have been' is used to talk about hypothetical situations or regrets in the past.

Last updated: March 06, 2024 • 677 views

what it could have been

This phrase is correct and commonly used when discussing possibilities or potential outcomes in the past.

This phrase is used to speculate about what something might have been in the past if different choices or actions had been made.

Examples:

I often wonder what it could have been if I had taken that job offer.
What it could have been if we had invested in that company years ago?

Show examples from the web [+]

Review: 'Self/Less' Mocks Us With What It Could Have Been. Friday, July 10th, 2015 at 9:00am PST - by Kristy Puchko ...
5 days ago ... What she expected to be a chance to move forward, turns into an amazing look back at what her life was, and what it could have been.
As such, today I want to talk about what The Evil Within is, as a product presented to us, and also what it could have been based upon what the game offers.
Jan 24, 2015 ... WHAT IT COULD HAVE BEEN. niceman199. SubscribeSubscribedUnsubscribe 4343. Loading... Loading... Working... Add to ...

Alternatives:

what it might have been
what it may have been

what it would have been

This phrase is correct and commonly used when talking about hypothetical situations or expressing regrets in the past.

This phrase is used to discuss what the outcome or situation would have been if certain conditions had been met in the past.

Examples:

I can only imagine what it would have been like if we had won the championship.
What it would have been if we had left earlier?

Show examples from the web [+]

Aug 23, 2015 ... ... fiction would have looked like without the ballot stuffing, so here was my quick attempt to piece together what it would have been: Best Novel.
Huawei P8 Lite stays under wraps, here's what it would have been Comments. Read · Post your comment · Post your comment. Pages: 1. Sort by: Newest first ...
If I had asked you then you probably took my ring. But time and distance have a way. Of changing things. And sometimes I wonder. What it would have been like
If the Saved by the Bell kids had Facebook, this is exactly what it would have been like. We're so used to Facebook these days that it's hard to imagine life ...

Alternatives:

what it might have been
what it may have been

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what it could have been vs what it would have been