Dave's ESL Cafe's Student Discussion Forums

[sungstar]

I'm wondering which expression is correct:
I wish you could have told me eariler or
I wish you had told me earlier.
My guess is the second one is correct, but the first one also sounds okay, too. Thank you in advance.

[Anuradha Chepur]

You are right, the second one is better in the intended meaning.
The first one is acceptable in the intended meaning, and it can have a slightly different meaning too: The first one can also mean the speaker wishes the addressee were able to tell the speaker whatever it was.