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My teacher says that we don't use "can't have" and "couldn't have" to critize people. What do you think for example these two examples in my opinion show critisizm

You couldn't have done more things wrong.

You can't have done anything worse.

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  • Just a note: It's couldn't (with an n). It stands for "could not" just like how "can't" stands for "can not".
    – Friendly Racoon
    Commented Apr 18 at 14:43
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    done more things incorrectly or inaccurately. or more badly. to do wrong means to do something immoral/not just. But I would not use it comparatively like that. You couldn't do more wrong than he does.
    – Lambie
    Commented Apr 18 at 15:39
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    You can criticise people using almost any modal or other form of words. "You must do better" "You should know better" "You could have died" "You might think of other people sometimes" "You may be the stupidest person I've ever met" etc. You need to be clearer about the rule your teacher taught you.
    – Stuart F
    Commented Apr 18 at 15:51
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    I think, to get a really good answer, you need to edit the question to tell more about why you're teacher said they won't work. Maybe they were focusing on a certain context or usage.
    – Andy Bonner
    Commented Apr 18 at 17:23
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    "You couldn't have done this worse if you tried" is correct and idiomatic, but rude. Is your teacher maybe trying explain the rudeness level of these criticisms? e.g. "You could have started on this a little earlier" is "gentle" criticism, "you should have started on this earlier" is tough but fair, and "you can't have expected to get a good grade starting this essay on the last day" is very harsh!
    – Kaia
    Commented Apr 19 at 1:18

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Certainly could sounds right and can sounds wrong.

At a deeper level I think this is about tense.

You could not (in the past) have done (that action in the past) this worse

compared to

You can not (in the present) have done (that action in the past) this worse

Indeed, the latter doesn't really make sense because you can never have done anything differently in the present to how you did it in the past, unless you are a time traveller!

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