I could buy it yesterday, wrong?












1















I just learned that I should not say:



I could buy it yesterday.



but rather use “was able” or “could have”.



At the same time, I have just seen a sentence:
He could help me but he did not.
That is correct?










share|improve this question



























    1















    I just learned that I should not say:



    I could buy it yesterday.



    but rather use “was able” or “could have”.



    At the same time, I have just seen a sentence:
    He could help me but he did not.
    That is correct?










    share|improve this question

























      1












      1








      1








      I just learned that I should not say:



      I could buy it yesterday.



      but rather use “was able” or “could have”.



      At the same time, I have just seen a sentence:
      He could help me but he did not.
      That is correct?










      share|improve this question














      I just learned that I should not say:



      I could buy it yesterday.



      but rather use “was able” or “could have”.



      At the same time, I have just seen a sentence:
      He could help me but he did not.
      That is correct?







      grammaticality modal-verbs






      share|improve this question













      share|improve this question











      share|improve this question




      share|improve this question










      asked 6 hours ago









      John VJohn V

      454313




      454313






















          2 Answers
          2






          active

          oldest

          votes


















          2














          It depends on context if the subjunctive mood is required or not



          If you had already purchased a product yesterday, and today it's not available, then, "I could buy it yesterday," is a statement of fact, and grammatically correct. It could also be written as "I could buy it yesterday and I did."



          On the other hand, if you had seen the product yesterday but not bought it, and today it's not available, then, "I could have bought it yesterday," using the subjunctive mood is needed. That is, "I could have bought it yesterday and didn't, and now I cannot."






          share|improve this answer
























          • Just so that this has been said... don't announce that you did things like that unless you know the person enjoys pretending that there's time travel that goes somewhere other than towards tomorrow. There are some people who really hate this.

            – Ed Grimm
            4 hours ago











          • Thanks, and what anout “He could help me but he did not“?

            – John V
            30 mins ago



















          1














          Maybe by some prescriptivist grammars, I could buy it yesterday doesn't work. It probably breaks some rules; lots of things do.



          It is, however, absolutely normal in every dialect that I'm familiar with.






          share|improve this answer























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            2 Answers
            2






            active

            oldest

            votes








            2 Answers
            2






            active

            oldest

            votes









            active

            oldest

            votes






            active

            oldest

            votes









            2














            It depends on context if the subjunctive mood is required or not



            If you had already purchased a product yesterday, and today it's not available, then, "I could buy it yesterday," is a statement of fact, and grammatically correct. It could also be written as "I could buy it yesterday and I did."



            On the other hand, if you had seen the product yesterday but not bought it, and today it's not available, then, "I could have bought it yesterday," using the subjunctive mood is needed. That is, "I could have bought it yesterday and didn't, and now I cannot."






            share|improve this answer
























            • Just so that this has been said... don't announce that you did things like that unless you know the person enjoys pretending that there's time travel that goes somewhere other than towards tomorrow. There are some people who really hate this.

              – Ed Grimm
              4 hours ago











            • Thanks, and what anout “He could help me but he did not“?

              – John V
              30 mins ago
















            2














            It depends on context if the subjunctive mood is required or not



            If you had already purchased a product yesterday, and today it's not available, then, "I could buy it yesterday," is a statement of fact, and grammatically correct. It could also be written as "I could buy it yesterday and I did."



            On the other hand, if you had seen the product yesterday but not bought it, and today it's not available, then, "I could have bought it yesterday," using the subjunctive mood is needed. That is, "I could have bought it yesterday and didn't, and now I cannot."






            share|improve this answer
























            • Just so that this has been said... don't announce that you did things like that unless you know the person enjoys pretending that there's time travel that goes somewhere other than towards tomorrow. There are some people who really hate this.

              – Ed Grimm
              4 hours ago











            • Thanks, and what anout “He could help me but he did not“?

              – John V
              30 mins ago














            2












            2








            2







            It depends on context if the subjunctive mood is required or not



            If you had already purchased a product yesterday, and today it's not available, then, "I could buy it yesterday," is a statement of fact, and grammatically correct. It could also be written as "I could buy it yesterday and I did."



            On the other hand, if you had seen the product yesterday but not bought it, and today it's not available, then, "I could have bought it yesterday," using the subjunctive mood is needed. That is, "I could have bought it yesterday and didn't, and now I cannot."






            share|improve this answer













            It depends on context if the subjunctive mood is required or not



            If you had already purchased a product yesterday, and today it's not available, then, "I could buy it yesterday," is a statement of fact, and grammatically correct. It could also be written as "I could buy it yesterday and I did."



            On the other hand, if you had seen the product yesterday but not bought it, and today it's not available, then, "I could have bought it yesterday," using the subjunctive mood is needed. That is, "I could have bought it yesterday and didn't, and now I cannot."







            share|improve this answer












            share|improve this answer



            share|improve this answer










            answered 5 hours ago









            DrMoishe PippikDrMoishe Pippik

            1,22247




            1,22247













            • Just so that this has been said... don't announce that you did things like that unless you know the person enjoys pretending that there's time travel that goes somewhere other than towards tomorrow. There are some people who really hate this.

              – Ed Grimm
              4 hours ago











            • Thanks, and what anout “He could help me but he did not“?

              – John V
              30 mins ago



















            • Just so that this has been said... don't announce that you did things like that unless you know the person enjoys pretending that there's time travel that goes somewhere other than towards tomorrow. There are some people who really hate this.

              – Ed Grimm
              4 hours ago











            • Thanks, and what anout “He could help me but he did not“?

              – John V
              30 mins ago

















            Just so that this has been said... don't announce that you did things like that unless you know the person enjoys pretending that there's time travel that goes somewhere other than towards tomorrow. There are some people who really hate this.

            – Ed Grimm
            4 hours ago





            Just so that this has been said... don't announce that you did things like that unless you know the person enjoys pretending that there's time travel that goes somewhere other than towards tomorrow. There are some people who really hate this.

            – Ed Grimm
            4 hours ago













            Thanks, and what anout “He could help me but he did not“?

            – John V
            30 mins ago





            Thanks, and what anout “He could help me but he did not“?

            – John V
            30 mins ago













            1














            Maybe by some prescriptivist grammars, I could buy it yesterday doesn't work. It probably breaks some rules; lots of things do.



            It is, however, absolutely normal in every dialect that I'm familiar with.






            share|improve this answer




























              1














              Maybe by some prescriptivist grammars, I could buy it yesterday doesn't work. It probably breaks some rules; lots of things do.



              It is, however, absolutely normal in every dialect that I'm familiar with.






              share|improve this answer


























                1












                1








                1







                Maybe by some prescriptivist grammars, I could buy it yesterday doesn't work. It probably breaks some rules; lots of things do.



                It is, however, absolutely normal in every dialect that I'm familiar with.






                share|improve this answer













                Maybe by some prescriptivist grammars, I could buy it yesterday doesn't work. It probably breaks some rules; lots of things do.



                It is, however, absolutely normal in every dialect that I'm familiar with.







                share|improve this answer












                share|improve this answer



                share|improve this answer










                answered 6 hours ago









                SamBCSamBC

                4,404321




                4,404321






























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