[Grammar] Speculation

[miladb]

Hello
Is it possible to speculate a past event about whose occurrence you're not a hundred sure using "should + have + p.p" In case the probability seems so high that you'd rather use should than may,might or could? how about "will have" as I've read in some book, which took me by surprise?

ex) He's late. He should have been stuck in a traffic jam.
ex) My train's been delayed. Jack and Suzanne will have been waiting for me at the train station for hours.

Thanks.

 

[miladb]

Modal

Hello
Is it possible to speculate a past event about whose occurrence you're not a hundred sure using "should + have + p.p" In case the probability seems so high that you'd rather use should than may,might or could? how about "will have" as I've read in some book, which took me by surprise?

ex) He's late. He should have been stuck in a traffic jam.
ex) My train's been delayed. Jack and Suzanne will have been waiting for me at the train station for hours.

Thank you very much.

 

[probus]

The "should" usage is impossible.

"Will have been waiting" is fine.

 

[Tdol]

Re: Modal

And in the first, must be stuck works better- as he's not arrived yet, it's not a past event.

 

[bhaisahab]

Hello
Is it possible to speculate a past event about whose occurrence you're not a hundred sure using "should + have + p.p" In case the probability seems so high that you'd rather use should than may,might or could? how about "will have" as I've read in some book, which took me by surprise?

ex) He's late. He should have been stuck in a traffic jam. Not OK.
ex) My train's been delayed. Jack and Suzanne will have been waiting for me at the train station for hours.OK.

Thanks.

Bhai.

 

[MikeNewYork]

Bhai.

This is a duplicate thread.

 

[emsr2d2]

This is a duplicate thread.

It is indeed so I have merged the threads. All the responses now appear in this thread.

Miladb - please don't post the same thread under different titles.