Should have been intended for children

[Xinfu]

If I want to express the meaning that I think the animation series was intended for children, which should I use?

-How come the animation series used such complicated language? It should be/should have been intended for children. (=I guess/gather/think it was intended...)

[Mozzo]

First, a style comment : Beginning a question with the words "how come" is little bit more acceptable in verbal conversation than when written. "Why" is better form.

Then it sounds more natural to put the helping verb "do" into the past, instead of putting "use" in the past.

"Why did the animation use such complicated language?"

Because the first question is in the past, it establishes a context in the past, so the next comment is:

"It should have been intended for children"

[Xinfu]

Originally Posted by Mozzo

First, a style comment : Beginning a question with the words "how come" is little bit more acceptable in verbal conversation than when written. "Why" is better form.

Then it sounds more natural to put the helping verb "do" into the past, instead of putting "use" in the past.

"Why did the animation use such complicated language?"

Because the first question is in the past, it establishes a context in the past, so the next comment is:

"It should have been intended for children"

Thank you~

But do you not think the red words might be interpreted as it ought to have so and so, but it didn't?

[Rusty]

That is what the words in red mean, yes. The series should have had simpler language, but it didn't. Your original sentence also meant the same thing.

Your first sentence says that you want to express the idea that the animation series was intended for children. If so, you wouldn't phrase your sentences the way you did.

Instead, try "How come the animation series used such complicated language? I thought it was made for children."