Usage of should have been- How to use should have in sentences

Usage of should have been- How to use should have in sentences

There are a number of different ways to use 'should have been' or 'should have done' (i.e. should have + past participle).

For example:

If you attended a really great party but your friend did not, and you think that your friend would have enjoyed it as much as you did, you might say this:
- You should have been there. You would have had a wonderful time!

If someone did not do something that they were obliged or expected to do (apologize or call, for example), you might say this:
- You should have apologized for doing that.
- You should have called ahead of time to let them know you were coming!

If something was expected to happen, but didn't, you might hear something like this:
- He should have been here hours ago. I wonder where he is.

You will sometimes hear 'should have been/done' used to express what you expect this way:
- MrX: OK, we have finished doing A, B, C, D and F.
- MrY: Great! That should have solved our production problems for good.
(i.e. MrY now expects that the production problems have been solved.)

You may also hear 'should have been/done' used when you expect a confirmation that something had a particular outcome in the past. This usage would be similar to 'must have been/done' (this usage might not exist in BE, however.)