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The motel was so rusty and shabby that it could be/could have been mistaken for an abandoned house.
Should it be could be or could have been?
I'm not sure of the answer because I know that could (and must) don't have tense.
Note: This is past tense narration.
Correct:
The motel was so rusty and shabby that it could have been mistaken for an abandoned house.
Saying "could be" would sound wrong, because the first verb in the sentence ("was") is in a past tense. "Could be" is a present tense.
