简单地说:对过去情况作推测,用must have been;所对现在情况作推测,用must be。
比较:
He must be ill. 他一定是病了。(指现在有病)
He must have been ill. 他当时一定是有病 / 他一定生过病。(指过去有病)
He must be very rich. 他一定非常富有。(指现在有钱)
He must have been very rich. 他当时一定非常富有 / 他一定曾经富有过。(指过去富有过)
下面是几个must have been的例子,有一定的背景或语境,你可以体会一下:
She must have been very young when she got married. 她结婚时一定很年轻。
I didn't hear the phone. I must have been asleep. 我没有听到电话铃,我一定是睡着了。
When you got lost in the forest you must have been very frightened. 当你在森林里迷路的时候,你一定很害怕吧。
I must have been blind not to realize the danger we were in. 我一定是瞎了眼,连我们身临险境也看不出来。
这下你明白must be与must have been 的区别了吗?该不会再误用must have been与must be了吧!
都表推测,只不过must have been 表示对过去发生的推迟。