[Grammar] How could you do that to me?

[andi harper]

Well then, does this mean that I can choose to use either one of them in reference to a past action?

 

[bhaisahab]

Yes. If you had read all the previous posts carefully, you wouldn't have needed to ask again.

 

[andi harper]

Yes. If you had read all the previous posts carefully, you wouldn't have needed to ask again.

One more thing. Does this mean that I can choose to use either one of these in reference to a past action as well?
How could you have forgotten about it?/ How could you forget about it?
How could you have doubted him?/ How could you doubt him?
How could this have happened?/ How could this happen?
How could I have been so stupid?/ How could I be so stupid?
How could you have said that?/ How could you say that?
How could I have missed that?/ How could I miss that?
How could I have gone to that meeting? How could I go to that meeting?

 

[bhaisahab]

No, I'm afraid not.

 

[Matthew Wai]

andi harper, as we don't understand why native speakers use 'How could I + infinitive' when referring to the past in your context, I suggest that we always use 'How could I + perfect', which is safely correct.

 

[GoesStation]

One more thing. Does this mean that I can choose to use either one of these in reference to a past action as well?
How could you have forgotten about it?/ How could you forget about it?
How could you have doubted him?/ How could you doubt him?
How could this have happened?/ How could this happen?
How could I have been so stupid?/ How could I be so stupid?
How could you have said that?/ How could you say that?
How could I have missed that?/ How could I miss that?
How could I have gone to that meeting? How could I go to that meeting?

Yes, you could.

 

[andi harper]

No, I'm afraid not.

How come?

 

[bhaisahab]

How come?

In my opinion, some of them work and some of them don't.

 

[Raymott]

My personal feeling is that, in at least some contexts, either of the alternatives is possible.

But isn't that implying that there are contexts in which you can't swap the alternatives? If so, the answer is "yes and no", which makes you both right.

 

[andi harper]

In my opinion, some of them work and some of them don't.

Could you tell me which ones don't work?

 

[bhaisahab]

Could you tell me which ones don't work?

How could you have forgotten about it?/ How could you forget about it?
How could you have doubted him?/ How could you doubt him?
How could I have been so stupid?/ How could I be so stupid?
How could I have missed that?/ How could I miss that?
How could I have gone to that meeting? How could I go to that meeting?

 

[andi harper]

How could you have forgotten about it?/ How could you forget about it?
How could you have doubted him?/ How could you doubt him?
How could I have been so stupid?/ How could I be so stupid?
How could I have missed that?/ How could I miss that?
How could I have gone to that meeting? How could I go to that meeting?

So with these, are you saying that I should use could+perfect form in reference to a past action?
Like How could you have doubted him? instead of How could you doubt him?

 

[bhaisahab]

Yes. That's my opinion.