[Grammar] he should have been a NewAsian?

[nelson13]

I want to talk about a person who graduated from the New Asia College 20 years ago, and I am not very sure about whether it was this college; which one should I say?:

1. He should be a NewAsian.
2. He should have been a NewAsian.

 

[Barb_D]

First, be very sure your audience would know you mean the university. If someone simply asked me if someone was a "New Asian" I wouldn't know what that meant. Is there an old Asia?

He could be a New Asian graduate.
He may be a New Asian graduate.

 

[nelson13]

Thank you. How about the following situation?:

I went to the wrong room for last week's lesson, and then I now tell the tutor the situation last week:

The wrong room I entered should have been/ should be Room(or room?) 108.

I just don't want to use could, may, etc.; which choice is OK?

 

[Barb_D]

Thank you. How about the following situation?:

I went to the wrong room for last week's lesson, and then I now tell the tutor the situation last week:

The wrong room I entered should have been/ should be Room(or room?) 108.

I just don't want to use could, may, etc.; which choice is OK?

Last week, I went to the wrong room. I went to room 801 and I should have gone to room room 108.

 

[nelson13]

Thank you.

But could should be be used? Should can also be used to talk past, but in this case?

 

[Barb_D]

Thank you.

But could should be be used? Should can also be used to talk past, but in this case?

No. For the past use "should have" as I wrote in my revision of your sentence. "Should be" does not work for the past.

 

[nelson13]

Thank you.

I will commit it to memory.

 

[emsr2d2]

I was in Room 101 but I should have been in Room 110.
I went to Room 101 but I should have gone to Room 110.

 

[nelson13]

Sorry for not making it clear.

In that situation, I was guessing the wrong room I went to.

 

[Barb_D]

Sorry for not making it clear.

In that situation, I was guessing the wrong room I went to.

I don't understand what you mean.

 

[emsr2d2]

I don't understand what you mean.

Nor do I.

Did you mean that you wanted to use the word "should" in the same part of the sentence as the wrong room? If that is the case, then you need the negative:

I should not have gone to Room 110. I should have gone to Room 101.
I went to Room 101. I should not have gone to that room.

 

[nelson13]

emsr2d2 gave the answer I should have gone..., which means the correct room I needed to go to; while my question is whether I should say the wrong room I went to should be/should have been XYZ.

 

[emsr2d2]

emsr2d2 gave the answer I should have gone..., which means the correct room I needed to go to; while my question is whether I should say the wrong room I went to should be/should have been XYZ.

No. The wrong room you went to WAS Room 101. You can only use "should have gone" when talking about the correct room. As I said in my last post, you can use "should not have gone" when talking about the wrong room.