Can are likely to have have

English as a Second Language English Vocabulary, Grammar and Idioms
1

Gentlemen,

The following text is confusing me:

“Americans who have been unfortunate enough to lose their jobs during the first half of the year can are likely to have have found new jobs more quickly than in each of the past two years.” from www.Management-Issues.com

→ can are likely to have have ← what this is suppose to mean???

Regards,

2

.
That looks like a case of careless and hurried cutting (editing) of text to me (rather than typos). In other words, can and (one) have should have been cut from the original text but weren’t:

are likely to have
.

3

Hi Yankee,

Thank you for that answer… I have another question for you.

Why the writer used the phrase “are likely to have found” at the time he was pointing to an act may happen in the future?

Can we just say : “are likely to find …” ?

Regards,

4

Hi Fooz,

Likely gives the idea of possibility in the sense that something will possibly happen.

Take this sentence:

I completed my examination but I’m not likely to pass because the examiner is likely to have found many mistakes.

Here likely to pass points to the future - likely to have found points to the past.

Alan

5

I do not understand this to be a reference to the future. I understand it to be an assumption of something that has already happened.

I’d reword this way:

“… have probably found new jobs more quickly than in each of the past two years.”

OR maybe this way:

“… have probably been able to find new jobs…”

Amy