Casual Merged Words
"Coulda" = could have, "woulda" = would have, "shoulda" = should have. These express hypothetical or regretful past situations: "I shoulda called first." "It woulda been better." "I coulda handled it differently." They are informal spoken versions of modal perfects. The phrase "woulda, coulda, shoulda" is used idiomatically to mean dwelling on regrets that can't be changed.
"Coulda" = could have, "woulda" = would have, "shoulda" = should have. These express hypothetical or regretful past situations: "I shoulda called first." "It woulda been better." "I coulda handled it differently." They are informal spoken versions of modal perfects. The phrase "woulda, coulda, shoulda" is used idiomatically to mean dwelling on regrets that can't be changed.
Practice
"I shoulda studied more." What is the formal equivalent?
"Youtold me earlier!" (formal: should have)
Rewrite formally — put in the correct order: