Intermediate grammar · Unit 33 · B1

should 1

Modals

Use should for advice and opinion, for what is expected or not as it ought to be, and should have (done) for the right thing that was not done; ought to can replace should throughout.

Go to the exercises

A should: the right thing to do

You should do something = it is a good thing, or the right thing, to do. You can use should to give advice or an opinion.

You shouldn't do something = it is not a good thing to do.

We often use should with I think / I don't think / Do you think ... ?

Should is not as strong as must or have to:

Sentence Strength
You should say sorry. it would be a good thing to do
You must say sorry. / You have to say sorry. you have no alternative
  • You've been coughing all week. You should see a doctor.
  • The council should do more to fix the potholes.
  • "Should we ask Rhys to the wedding?" "Yes, I think we should."
  • That boy on the scooter should be wearing a helmet.
  • You shouldn't trust everything you see online.
  • I don't think you should lend him any more money.
  • "Do you think I should take the job in Leeds?" "Yes, I think you should."

B should: what we expect

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

We also use should to say that we expect something to happen.

  • Where's Kieran? He should be here by now. (= he isn't here yet, and this is not normal)
  • This receipt is wrong. It should say £4.20, not £14.20.
  • Lucy has revised for weeks, so she should pass. (= I expect her to pass)
  • There are three cash machines in the village. It shouldn't be hard to get some money out. (= I don't expect it to be hard)

C should have (done) and shouldn't have (done)

You should have done something = you did not do it, although it would have been a good thing to do.

You shouldn't have done something = you did it, and it was not a good thing to do.

should (do) should have (done)
You look shattered. You should go to bed now. You stayed up till two. You should have gone to bed earlier.
  • The fireworks were spectacular. You should have come. Why didn't you? (= you didn't come, but it would have been good to come)
  • I wonder where they've got to. They should have arrived an hour ago.
  • I feel awful. I shouldn't have had that second kebab. (= I had it)
  • He shouldn't have been reading my diary. It's private. (= he was reading it)

D ought to

You can use ought to instead of should in all the sentences on this page. Note the to: we say ought to do.

  • Do you think I ought to take the job in Leeds? (= Do you think I should take ... ?)
  • Ben ought not to drive when he's this tired. (= Ben shouldn't drive ...)
  • The fireworks were spectacular. You ought to have come. (= You should have come.)

Exercises

33.1 For each situation, write a sentence with should or shouldn't and one of these phrases.

take a few days offdrink so much coffeeask for a pay risewrite it downbe so hard on herselfget some brighter curtains

  1. Jess is completely worn out. (She ...)

    She should take a few days off.

    She should take a few days off.

  2. You've had the same salary for five years. (You ...)

  3. Liam can never get to sleep at night. (He ...)

  4. What a brilliant idea for a song! (You ...)

  5. Megan always thinks her work isn't good enough. (She ...)

  6. Ahmed's front room is dark and gloomy. (He ...)

33.2 Complete the sentences. Choose from the box.

should get the jobshould be here soonshould be working properlyshould receiveshouldn't take longshould be much mildershouldn't cost moreshould fix

  1. Imran is the best candidate by a mile, so he should get the job.

    Imran is the best candidate by a mile, so he should get the job.

  2. The removal van left the depot an hour ago. It .

  3. The boiler has just been serviced. It now.

  4. I posted the tickets on Monday, so you them by Thursday.

  5. You can walk to the station from here. It . About ten minutes.

  6. This frost is unusual for April. It at this time of year.

  7. The cheapest way to get to Bath is by train. It than fifteen pounds.

  8. If the internet keeps dropping, switch the router off and on again. That the problem.

33.3 Complete the sentences. Use should ... or should have ... + the verb in brackets.

  1. You've got a temperature. You should go to bed. (go)

    You've got a temperature. You should go to bed.

  2. The quiz night was brilliant. You should have come with us. (come)

    The quiz night was brilliant. You should have come with us.

  3. I've been offered two jobs. Which one do you think I ? (take)

  4. I wish I'd listened to you. I what you said. (do)

  5. We lost on penalties, but we played much better. We . (win)

  6. We hardly ever see you. You round more often. (come)

  7. We missed the turning and ended up in Doncaster. We left at the roundabout. (turn)

  8. My driving test was a disaster. I more. (practise)

33.4 Read the situations and write sentences with should, should have, shouldn't or shouldn't have.

  1. I've got a headache. I drank too much wine. (I ...)

    I shouldn't have drunk so much wine.

    I shouldn't have drunk so much wine.

  2. When we got to the cinema, the film was sold out. We hadn't booked. (We ...)

  3. Nadia gave me her number, but I didn't save it. Now I can't ring her. (I ...)

  4. The post office opens at nine. It's quarter past nine now, but the shutters are still down. (It ...)

  5. I was texting. I wasn't watching where I was going and I tripped over a bollard. (I ...)

  6. Tom is driving through the village. The speed limit is twenty, but he is doing forty. (He ...)

  7. I had a bad cough yesterday, but I went to the gym. That was a mistake. Now I feel worse. (I ...)

  8. On Saturday, Wales play a team that has lost every match this season. Wales are much stronger. (Wales ...)

  9. I was cycling. The car in front braked suddenly and I went into the back of it. It wasn't my fault. (The driver in front ...)

See also