Certain sets of words in the English language tend to confuse people. I have found the following to be among them:
COULD CARE LESS / COULDN’T CARE LESS
This is a casual expression that has somehow been turned topsy-turvy in both spoken and written language. If you could care less, then obviously you care at least somewhat; otherwise, it would not be possible to care less than you do. However, most of the time we see or hear this expression used, it is intended to mean couldn’t care less, which indicates that the speaker/writer doesn’t care at all. And if you don’t care at all, then it would be impossible to care less.
INCORRECT: I could care less about how I look.
CORRECT: I couldn’t care less about how I look.
Of course, if you really do care and therefore could care less, then the “incorrect” statement above would in fact be correct, but due to such common misuse of this phrase, chances are slim that your reader/listener would interpret it to mean what it says.
© 2020 Ann Henry, all rights reserved.