The windows were not cleaned yesterday.
The windows had to be cleaned yesterday.
The windows should have been cleaned yesterday.
The windows should be cleaned yesterday.
Answer is Right!
Answer is Wrong!
The correct answer is C. The windows should have been cleaned yesterday.
The other options are incorrect because:
- A. The windows were not cleaned yesterday is a statement of fact, not a judgment about whether or not they should have been cleaned.
- B. The windows had to be cleaned yesterday is a statement about necessity, not about whether or not it was the right thing to do.
- D. The windows should be cleaned yesterday is a statement about what should be done in the future, not about what should have been done in the past.
The sentence “Somebody should have cleaned the windows yesterday” expresses a judgment that it would have been the right thing to do to clean the windows yesterday. This judgment is based on the assumption that clean windows are desirable, and that it is someone’s responsibility to clean them.