“Might have” vs “could have”

Question

What is the difference between might have and could have?

He might have come. He might have studied.

He could have come. He could have studied.

How would you describe a possibility? For example:

It's possible that he came from a different culture.

It's possible that he come from a different cutlure.

Answer 1

Could and might are often, but not always, interchangeable. He might have come / studied = 'We don’t know whether has come / studied or not', but you could substitute could. If you want to indicate ability or permission, however, you need He could have come / studied = ‘He had the ability to come / study.'

It's possible that he came from a different culture would be used in considering a historical figure who didn’t seem to fit into his environment. If you were talking about a current situation, you’d say It's possible that he comes from a different culture. It’s hard to think of any circumstances in which It's possible that he come from a different culture would be used, even if you regard ‘come’ as subjunctive.

English modal verbs are both important and subtle. You're unlikely to gain a full understanding of their use in exchanges such as this and if, as I assume, Noah, you are a non-native speaker of English you really need the help of a qualified English teacher.