Past Perfect/ Past Subjunctive + Can

<Your argument that it can't be the future tense because something else is the future tense denies that there can be two different future tenses.>

My argument was that if Uriel's statement "could ... is the future form of can" were true, we would not be able to say "You can call her tomorrow", because Uriel's statement excludes other future forms.

Thus Uriel's statement, not mine, "denies that there can be two different future [forms]". My comment points out this anomaly.

Uriel's response relates to non-exclusive forms, and therefore doesn't relate to my comment; although it might seem to support it.

The main problem with Uriel's earlier analysis is that it disregards backshift and the special character of modal verbs. But this statement that "could ... is the future form of can" would mislead any learners who took it literally:

A. I can do this today.
B. I could do this tomorrow. [The "future form" of A, for a learner misled by Uriel's comment.]

Si, todo va bien para mi, greg. Gracias!

You know, this debate about could led me to do a little research, and here is what I found: ask for a full conjugation of "can" and most site list "will be able" as the future tense. But regular speakers seem to be inclined to think of it as the future as well as the past --

http://wiki.answers.com/Q/What_is_future_tense_of_can

"the future and past tense of can is could"



and "could" is also considered the future conditional, i.e. would + can + could, as this website points out:

http://www.englishpage.com/conditional/futureconditional.html



This one also states that "The modal auxiliary could is used

* to express an ability in the past:
I could always beat you at tennis when we were kids.
* to express past or future permission:
Could I bury my cat in your back yard?
* to express present possibility:
We could always spend the afternoon just sitting around talking.
* to express possibility or ability in contingent circumstances:
If he studied harder, he could pass this course."

http://grammar.ccc.commnet.edu/GRAMMAR/auxiliary.htm

So, take your pick, I guess.

<"the future ... tense of can is could" [from wiki.answers]>

What would be an example of a sentence where the version with "could" expresses the future, and the version with "can" does not?

COULD is not future, at best it is future-in-the-past, just like WERE or WOULD:


I thought I could do it on the following day.
I knew she was (going) to give me a kiss.
They assumed we would come later.



The forms MIGHT, COULD, WOULD themselves when used with future indicating words (tomorrow) are used as the present conditional tense of ''may, can, will''...

I would like a coffee (right now/tomorrow night)
I could be happier if I learned more.
I might buy myself a new dress...


The words of futurity do not automatically imply the tense is future:

I wish it was tomorrow already! (was = past tense)
We are going tomorrow! (are going = present)

Could someone tell me when we use "would" and "would have+ p.p."

The only thing I know is some uses of these:

--> Would can be used for impossible presents or futures actions.

for instance :
If I came to the party, I would see my best friends
{The party hasn't been done yet but I could go there for a reason}

or

I would go there but I'm getting bored now. {I would go there --> now}

Could someone tell me if we use the form of "would" in past actions ???

--> I know that would have + p.p. is used in the 3rd conditional form where we talk about the past.

for instance :
If I hadn't broke my leg, I would have played football with you.

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