student asking question

When can I use "must have been?" Is it different from "should have been?"

teacher

Native speaker’s answer

Rebecca

Yes, "must have been" is different from "should have been." "Must have been" means to draw a conclusion or make a judgment about the past. Whereas "should have been" is when you expect or expected something to happen that probably didn't happen. Ex: The food should have been delivered by now, but it isn't. Ex: The food must have been delivered by now at the party. We'll eat when we arrive. Ex: She must have been scared when the incident happened.

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