[0:00]Hey everyone, welcome back to Real Easy Talks, your daily English practice. I'm Anna. And I'm Tom. We're so happy you're here with us today. If you're new, subscribe so you don't miss our daily episodes. So Tom, how are you feeling today? You look like you're somewhere else. Yeah, I've been thinking. A lot. Uh-oh. What kind of thinking? The dangerous kind. I was looking at old photos last night. College photos. Oh, those are always trouble. I found this picture of me in my first art class, 19 years old, big smile, paint on my shirt, and I just sat there staring at it, and my brain was like, you could have been a real artist by now. Oh, Tom. Like there was this scholarship, a full art scholarship at a school in New York, and I didn't take it. I chose design instead because it felt safer, more practical. And now sometimes I look at my life and think, what would it have been like if I had said yes? How did that feel, sitting there with that photo? Honestly, it felt heavy, right here in my chest, like someone put a brick on it. This weight that just whispers, what if? I think everyone carries a what if. I know I do. Really? What's yours? Um, well, years ago, I got an offer to teach English in Japan. Full contract, apartment, everything paid for. Two years in Tokyo. Anna! That sounds amazing! It was! But Biscuit had just come into my life. He was this tiny puppy with those big corgi eyes. And I thought, I can't leave him. So I stayed. Do you regret it? Sometimes. Sometimes I lie awake and think, my life would have been so different. I would have been living in Tokyo, walking through those little side streets, eating ramen for breakfast. And those phrases you just used, could have been, would have been, have been, I hear people say them all the time, but honestly, they tie my brain in knots. And you're not alone. One of our listeners actually wrote to us and said, please make a podcast about would have been and could have been and have been. So we're doing it. We're doing it. And trust me, by the end of this episode, these phrases will feel like old friends. Don't worry, it's simpler than it sounds. And that's what we're talking about today. Let's start with the simplest one. Have been. Have been. Have been. That one seems basic. It is. And that's good. Because it's the foundation. Everything else builds on top of it. Have been is the present perfect. It connects the past to right now. Can you give me an example? I have been to Mexico. What does that tell you? That at some point in your life you visited Mexico. You have that experience. Exactly. It doesn't say when. It doesn't say how long ago. It just says this is part of my life experience. I went, and now I'm back. And that trip is part of who I am. I have been to Korea. You visited Korea at some point. That experience is part of your story. So, have been to is for places you visited? That's one big use. Have been to for experiences with places. Have you been to Portland? Yes, I have. I live there. See how natural it feels? Okay, what about I have been busy? Great example. That's the second use. Have been, plus a word that describes you, an adjective, shows a state that started in the past and is still true now, or just ended. So, have been busy means I was busy before and I'm still busy now. Or it just ended, but the feeling is still fresh. You're still catching your breath. I have been tired all week. You started being tired days ago, and right now you're still tired. It's been going on. That one's a little too real. I feel that in my shoulders right now. And there's a third way. Have been plus an ing verb, like I have been working all day. That means I started working this morning and I'm still working now, or I just stopped, but I want to show how long it lasted. The action has duration. It structures across time, like a rubber band from the past to right now. Oh, I like that image. A rubber band from the past to the present. She has been studying English for three years. She started three years ago and she's still studying. It's an ongoing journey. That makes total sense. Have been, have been, experience, state, or ongoing action. It connects the past to the present. That's it. Now, let's make it more interesting. The next one? Could have been. Okay, this one, I feel like I sort of understand it, but when I try to use it, my brain just freezes like a computer with too many tabs open. Don't worry. Think of it this way. Could have been is about a past possibility that didn't happen. A door that was open, but I didn't walk through it. Oh, I love that. Yes, a door that was open, but you chose a different one. Or maybe it closed before you got there. So I could have been a full-time artist. It was possible. The option was real. The scholarship existed, but it didn't happen. It's real, but it's not real. The possibility was there, but it stayed in my imagination. Here's another one. That test could have been harder. Meaning the test was not that hard, but it was possible for it to be harder. The teacher could have added more questions. Right. You're comparing what happened to what was possible. The weather could have been worse. It wasn't perfect, but it could have been worse. You're looking at reality and imagining a different version. This is like standing in the present, looking back, and seeing a ghost of what could have happened. That's such a good way to put it. And here's something important. Could have been often comes with a feeling, either regret or relief. Oh, interesting. Show me. Regret. I could have been kinder to her. Meaning I had the chance to be kind. The door was open, but I wasn't. And now I feel bad about it. Oh, that one goes right to my stomach. You can feel that one physically. And relief. That car almost hit me. That could have been really bad. You're relieved because the bad thing almost happened but didn't. It's what we call a close call. The bad outcome was possible, but you got lucky. Jake almost missed his flight last week. That could have been a disaster. He had a job interview the next morning. But he made it. That's relief. Could have been. Could have been. A past possibility that didn't happen. It can feel like regret or relief. Perfect. Now here's where most students get confused. What's the difference between could have been and would have been? Um, that's actually exactly my question. Okay. Could have been is about possibility. Something was possible. A door that existed. Would have been is about the result of an imaginary situation. If something had been different, this is what the result would have been. So could is the door and would is what's on the other side of that door. That's actually brilliant, Tom. Yes. Wait, really? I came up with that? You did? Could have been says this door existed. Would have been says, if you had walked through that door, here's what you would have found. Give me an example, side by side. I could have gone to that party. It was possible. I was invited. I had time. But you didn't go. Now, if I had gone to that party, it would have been fun. Oh, so the first one just says the option existed. The second one says, if I had actually done it, the result would have been fun. Exactly. Would have been always has a hidden if somewhere, even when you don't say the if part out loud. That would have been nice. What's the hidden if? Um, if it had happened, that would have been nice. Like someone suggests something that didn't happen and you say, yeah, that would have been nice. Perfect example. The trip would have been amazing. The hidden if might be if we had actually gone or if the weather had been better. It's always about an imaginary past, a version of the past that didn't actually happen, like a movie in your head of a life you didn't live. And that's why it often carries deep feelings, sometimes sadness, sometimes acceptance, sometimes a gentle kind of peace. My grandmother would have been so proud of me. Ah, that's a beautiful example. She's not here anymore, but if she could see you now, she would have been so proud. I feel that one right in my throat. It's the kind of sentence that makes your eyes a little wet. It is. Would have been often carries love or longing or gentle sadness. It's one of the most emotional phrases in English. Okay, let me try to put all three together in one story. Go for it. I have been a designer for eight years. That's my reality, my present. Present perfect. Your life right now, real. I could have been a full-time artist. That was a real possibility. The door existed. Past possibility. The road not taken. If I had taken that scholarship, my career would have been completely different. That's the imaginary result. Tom, that is perfect. You just used all three naturally. See? Your brain already knows how these work. My brain is doing a happy dance right now. Let me test you with some more. I'll describe a situation. You choose the right phrase. Quiz time. Let's go. Lily studied nursing in college, but became a photographer instead. Talk about her nursing career. Lily could have been a nurse. It was possible. She had the training, but she chose photography instead. Now imagine what her life would look like as a nurse. If she had become a nurse, her schedule would have been completely different. Night shifts, weekends. And her photography? She has been a photographer for, I think, five years now, and she loves it. All three in one story. Beautiful. I'm on fire. Here's another one. Jake's car broke down on the highway at night. It was dark, no one around. Oh, no. That could have been really dangerous. Past possibility. It could have been bad. Now, what if a truck driver had stopped to help? If someone had stopped, it would have been much easier. He wouldn't have had to walk two miles to find help. And since then? Jake has been much more careful about checking his car. He checks the oil every week now. Learning from experience. One more. Anna, you mentioned your Japan offer. Let's use all three. Go ahead. You have been an ESL teacher for 10 years. That's your real life. True. You could have been a teacher in Tokyo. The door was there. The offer was real. It was. And?
[13:55]If you had moved to Japan, your life would have been a completely different adventure. You would have been learning Japanese, eating sushi every day. And Biscuit would have been with a dog sitter, which I couldn't do. And that's okay. Both paths are valid. The one you took and the one you didn't. That's such a kind thing to say. Both paths are valid. Okay, I want to try some common mistakes. Things people get wrong. Great idea. Can I say I would have been to Japan? Mmm, does that sound right to you? Actually, no. Something feels off. You can't say would have been to a place, can you? You can't. Have been to is for real experiences. I have been to Japan. But would have been to? That doesn't work in English. But I can say I would have been in Japan. Like in that imaginary situation, I'd be living there. Exactly. If I had taken that teaching job, I would have been in Tokyo for two years. That works perfectly. Been to for real experiences, been in for imaginary situations about location. That's a sneaky difference. And you just caught it yourself. That's such a common mistake. Another one. Can I say I could have been gone to the store? What do you think? Too many words. It should just be, I could have gone to the store, not could have been gone. Right. Could have been uses be. Could have gone uses go. Don't mix them up. The structure is could have plus one past participle. Could have been. Could have gone. Could have said. Could have done. And same with would. Would have been, would have gone, would have said. The formula is always modal plus have plus the past participle. Got it. Now, quick question for our listeners. Think about your own life. What's something you could have been? A musician, a chef, an athlete? Pause the podcast right now. Say it out loud. I could have been a fill-in-the-blank. Even if no one's around, say it. And here's a bonus. In fast, casual English, people shorten these phrases. Could have becomes could have. And when people speak fast, it sounds like coulda. I could have been a doctor. And would have becomes would've or fast woulda. That would have been awesome. But here's the important part. In writing, emails, messages, essays, always use the full form or the V contraction. Never write coulda or woulda. So coulda and woulda for writing, coulda and woulda for talking with Jake over pizza. And one more thing that trips people up. Don't confuse could have with could of. Wait, could of is wrong? Very common mistake. People hear could of and think the second word is of, but it's could have. H-A-V-E. So I could of been is always wrong. Always. I could have been. I would have been. The word is have, not of. That's a mistake I've probably made in texts before. I'm fixing that starting today. Many people make it. Even native speakers write could have sometimes. But now you know. And knowing is half the battle. Let's do our vocabulary. Let's lock these in. Have been. Have been. Have been. Three uses. One, experience. I have been to Paris. Two, ongoing state. I have been busy all week. Three, continuing action. She has been studying for hours. It always connects the past to right now. Could have been. Could have been. A past possibility that didn't actually happen. I could have been a teacher. It was possible, but I chose something different. It can express regret or relief. The door was there, but you didn't walk through it. Would have been. Would have been. The imaginary result of a different past. It would have been amazing. There's always a hidden if behind it. It often carries emotion, sadness, longing, love, or acceptance. Regret. Regret. R-E-G-R-E-T. A feeling of sadness about something you did or didn't do. A wish that things had gone differently. I have no regrets about staying in Portland. She made her choice and she's at peace with it. No looking back. Opportunity. Opportunity. Opportunity. O-P-P-O-R-T-U-N-I-T-Y. A chance to do something, a door that opens in your life. That scholarship was a huge opportunity. And sometimes you take it, sometimes you don't. But at least you know the door was there. Hypothetical. Hypothetical. Hypothetical. H-Y-P-O-T-H-E-T-I-C-A-L. Imagined, not real, a what-if situation. That's a hypothetical question. It's not about something real. It's about something imagined. Like all our would-have-been sentences, they live in a hypothetical world. Exactly. Outcome. Outcome. Outcome. O-U-T-C-O-M-E. The result of something. What happens in the end? The outcome would have been different if I had studied harder. The result would have changed. Different choices, different outcomes. Close call. Close call. Close call. When something bad almost happened but didn't, you got lucky. Jake's car breaking down at night on the highway? That was a close call. It could have been dangerous, but he was okay. Just a long walk. And hindsight. Hindsight. Hindsight. H-I-N-B-S-I-G-H-T. Understanding something after it already happened. Looking back with more knowledge than you had before. In hindsight, I should have taken that job in Japan. It's always easy to see the right answer when you're looking backwards. Hindsight is like a rearview mirror for your life. Oh, I love that. A rearview mirror for your life. So our three phrases one more time. Have been, the rubber band from past to present, real experiences and states. Have been, the door that existed, past possibilities. Would have been. Would have been. The imaginary result of a different past. It would have been amazing. There's always a hidden if behind it. And they all start with just two little words. What if? All right. That was a great talk about have been, could have been, and would have been. Now a question for you. Tell us in the comments, what is something you could have been? A singer? A pilot? A chef? We want to hear your what-if story. We love reading your answers. If you enjoyed this, please like, subscribe, and share with a friend. And a big thank you to the listener who requested this topic. We see your comments and we love making episodes you ask for. Keep those suggestions coming. We'll see you tomorrow with another easy conversation. Bye, everyone. Bye.
