Модальный глагол should в английском языке — удобный инструмент для создания предложений с выражением вероятности, совета или долженствования. Границу между этими тремя случаями провести не всегда прост. Но мы сегодня это сделаем.

A. You should do something = it is a good thing to do or the right thing to do.

You can use should to give advice or to give an opinion:

• You look tired. You should go to bed.
• The government should do more to help homeless people.
• ‘Should we invite Susan to the party?’ ‘Yes, I think we should.’

We often use should with I think /1 don’t think / Do you think…?

• I think the government should do more to help homeless people.
• I don’t think you should work so hard.
• ‘Do you think I should apply for this job?’ ‘Yes, I think you should.’

‘You shouldn’t do something’ = it isn’t a good thing to do:

• You shouldn’t believe everything you read in the newspapers.

Should is not as strong as must:

• You should apologise. (= it would be a good thing to do)
• You must apologise. (= you have no alternative)

B. We also use should when something is not right or what we expect.

For example:

• I wonder where Liz is. She should be here by  now. (= she isn’t here yet, and this is not normal)
• The price on this packet is wrong. It should be 1.20, not 1.50.
• Those boys shouldn’t be playing football at this time. They should be at school.

We use should to say that we expect something to happen:

• She’s been studying hard for the exam, so she should pass. (= I expect her to pass)
• There are plenty of hotels in the town. It shouldn’t be difficult to find somewhere to stay. (= I don’t expect that it will be difficult)

C. ‘You should have done something’ = you didn’t do it but it would have been the right thing to do:

• It was a great party last night. You should have come. Why didn’t you?  (= you didn’t come but it would have been good to come)
• I’m feeling sick. I shouldn’t have eaten so much chocolate. (= I ate too much chocolate)
• I wonder why they’re so late. They should have been here an hour ago.
• She shouldn’t have been listening to our conversation. It was private.

Compare should (do) and should have (done):

• You look tired. You should go to bed now.
• You went to bed very late last night. You should have gone to bed earlier.

D. Ought to…

You can use ought to instead of should in the sentences on this page.

Note that we say ‘ought to do…’ (with to):

• Do you think I ought to apply for this job? (= Do you think I should apply…?)
• Jack ought not to go to bed so late. (= Jack shouldn’t go…)
• It was a great party last night. You ought to have come.
• She’s been studying hard for the exam, so she ought to pass.

EXERCISES

1 For each situation write a sentence with should or shouldn’t + one of the following:

go away for a few days     go to bed so late     look for another job

put some pictures on the walls     take a photograph     use her car so much

• (Liz needs a change.) ….She should go away for a few days
• (My salary is very low.) You ………………………………………………………………………………………………..
• (Jack always has difficulty getting up.) He ………………………………………………………………………………
• (What a beautiful view!) You ……………………………………………………………………………………………….
• (Sue drives everywhere. She never walks.) She ………………………………………………………………………
• (Bill’s room isn’t very interesting.) ………………………………………………………………………………………..

2 Read the situations and write sentences with I think /1 don’t think… should… .

1. Peter and Judy are planning to get married. You think it’s a bad idea. (get married) I don’t think they should get married.
2. You don’t like smoking, especially in restaurants. (be banned) I think  ………………………………………… ……………………………………………………………
3. I have a very bad cold but I plan to go out this evening. You don’t think this is a good idea. You say to me: (go out)……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
4. You are fed up with the government. You think they have made too many mistakes. (resign) …………. ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

3 Complete the sentences with should (have) + the verb in brackets.

1. Margaret should pass.. the exam. She’s been studying very hard. (pass)
2. You missed a great party last night. You …should have come … (come)
3. We don’t see you enough. You …………………………………………… and see us more often, (come)
4. I’m in a difficult position. What do you think I……………………………………………? (do)
5. I’m sorry that I didn’t take your advice. I…………………………………………… what you said. (do)
6. I’m playing tennis with Jill tomorrow. She …………………………………. — she’s much better than me. (win)
7. We lost the match but we ……………………………………………. We were the better team. (win)
8. ‘Is John here yet?’   ‘Not yet, but he …………………………………………… here soon.’ (be)
9. I posted the letter three days ago, so it…………………………………………… by now. (arrive)

4 Read the situations and write sentences with should/shouldn’t. Some of the sentences are past and some are present

1. I’m feeling sick. I ate too much. ….I shouldn’t have eaten so much …
2. That man on the motorbike isn’t wearing a helmet. That’s dangerous. He should be wearing a helmet..
3. When we got to the restaurant, there were no free tables. We hadn’t reserved one. We………………….. …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..
4. The notice says that the shop is open every day from 8.30. It is 9 o’clock now but the shop isn’t open yet. ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
5. The speed limit is 30 miles an hour, but Catherine is doing 50. She……………………………………………..
6. I went to Paris. A friend of mine lives in Paris but I didn’t go to see him while I was there. When I saw him later, he said: You ………………………………………………………………………………………………
7. I was driving behind another car. Suddenly, the driver in front stopped without warning and I drove into the back of his car. It wasn’t my fault. ……………………………………………………………………..
8. I walked into a wall. I wasn’t looking where I was going. ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….

Should (2)

A. You can use should after a number of verbs, especially:

suggest   propose   recommend   insist   demand

• They insisted that we should have dinner with them.
• I demanded that he should apologise.
• What do you suggest I should do?

In the same way, you can use should after suggestion/proposal/recommendation etc.:

• What do you think of Jane’s suggestion that I should buy a car?

and also after ‘it’s important/vital/necessary/essential that…’:

• It’s essential that you should be here on time.

B. You can also leave out should in all the sentences in Section A:

• It’s essential that you be here on time. (= that you should be here)
• I demanded that he apologise.
• What do you suggest I do?

This form (you be / he apologise etc.) is sometimes called the subjunctive.

You can also use normal present and past tenses:

• It’s essential that you are here on time.
• I demanded that he apologised.

Be careful with suggest. You cannot use to… (‘to do / to buy’ etc.) after suggest:

• What do you suggest we should do?            or What do you suggest we do? (but not ‘What do you suggest us to do?’)
• Jane suggested that I (should) buy a car.     or Jane suggested that I bought a car. (but not ‘Jane suggested me to buy’)

C. You can use should after a number of adjectives, especially:

strange   odd   funny   typical   natural   interesting   surprised   surprising

• It’s strange that he should be late. He’s usually on time.
• I was surprised that she should say such a thing.

D. If… should…

You can say ‘If something should happen…’.For example:

• If Tom should phone while I’m out, tell him I’ll phone him back later.

‘If Tom should phone’ is similar to ‘If Tom phones’. With should, the speaker feels that the possibility is smaller. Another example:

• I’ve left the washing outside. If it should rain, can you bring it in?

You can also put should at the beginning of these sentences (Should something happen…):

• Should Tom phone, can you tell him I’ll phone him back later?

E. You can use I should… /I shouldn’t… to give somebody advice.

For example:

• ‘Shall I leave now?’ ‘No, I should wait a bit longer.’

Here, ‘I should wait’ = ‘I would wait if I were you, I advise you to wait’. Two more examples:

• It’s very cold this morning. I should wear a coat when you go out.
• I shouldn’t stay up too late. You’ll be tired tomorrow.

EXERCISES

1 Write a sentence (beginning in the way shown) that means the same as the first sentence.

1. ‘I think it would be a good idea to see a specialist,’ the doctor said to me.The doctor recommended that I should see a specialist….
2. ‘You really must stay a little longer,’ she said to me. She insisted that…………………………………………..
3. ‘Why don’t you visit the museum after lunch?’ I said to them. I suggested that ……………………………….
4. ‘You must pay the rent by Friday,’ the landlord said to us. The landlord demanded that …………………………………………………………………………………………………………
5. ‘Why don’t you go away for a few days?’ Jack said to me. Jack suggested that …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

2 Are these sentences right or wrong?

1  a Tom suggested that I should look for another job.  …RIGHT..
b Tom suggested that I look for another job.             ……………………………………………………………..
c Tom suggested that I looked for another job.          ……………………………………………………………..
d Tom suggested me to look for another job.             ……………………………………………………………..

 

2  a Where do you suggest I go for my holiday?             ……………………………………………………………..
b Where do you suggest me to go for my holiday?      ……………………………………………………………..
c Where do you suggest I should go for my holiday?   ……………………………………………………………..

3 Complete the sentences using should + one of these verbs:

ask   be   leave   listen   say   worry

1. It’s strange that she …should be… late. She’s usually on time.
2. It’s funny that you …………………………………………… that. I was going to say the same thing.
3. It’s only natural that parents …………………………………………… about their children.
4. Isn’t it typical of Ron that he …………………………………….. without saying goodbye to anybody?
5. I was surprised that he ………………………………………… me for advice. What advice could I give him?
6. It’s very important that everybody …………………………………………… very carefully.

 

4 Complete these sentences using if…..should… .

1. (It’s possible that you’ll see Tom this evening.) If you should see Tom this evening, can you ask him to phone me?
2. (It’s possible that Ann will arrive before I get home.) If…………………………………………………., can you look after her until I come?
3. (Perhaps there will be some letters for me while I’m away.)……………………………………………………….. , can you send them on to this address?
4. (I don’t suppose you’ll need help but you might.)………………………………………………………, let me know.

 

Write sentences 3 and 4 again, this time beginning with should.
(3)……………………………………………………………………………………. , can you send them on to this address?  (4)…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

5 (Section E) Complete the sentences using I should + one of these verbs:

buy   keep   phone   waitukfuj

1. ‘Shall I leave now?’ ‘No, …I should wait. a bit longer.’
2. ‘Shall I throw these things away?’  ‘No,………………………………………. them. You may need them.’
3. ‘Shall I go and see Paul?’ ‘Yes, but…………………………………………………….. him first.’
4. ‘Do you think it’s worth repairing this TV set?’   ‘No,…………………………………………… a new one.’

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