: Re: Is it correct to write "should/could/must be" in past tense narrative? Example in my own writing: Kazumi didn't reply to her boyfriend---or rather ex-boyfriend's---message. Instead, she stayed

@Karen856

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It depends whether the activity being discussed has stopped or is still happening.

In the original, starting a new life couldn't be [and still couldn't be] the whole reason, and Kouta should be [and still should be] cooking a better plan.

Alternatively , starting a new life couldn't have been [at the time] the whole reason, and Kouta should have been [at the time] cooking a better plan.

Personally, I like : starting a new life couldn't have been [at the time] the whole reason, and Kouta should be [and still should be] cooking a better plan.

But as others have said, all could be correct. (And any could have been correct...)

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