You should do something = it Is a good thing to do or the right thing to do. You can use should to give adviceor 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/I 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)
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 L1.20, not L1.50.
* 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.
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
33.1 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
1. (Liz needs a change.) _She should go away for a few days._
2. (My salary is very low.) You ---.
3. (Jack always has difficulty getting up.) He ---.
4. (What a beautiful view!) You---.
5. (Sue drives everywhere. She never walks.) She ---.
6. (Bill's room isn't very interesting.) ---.
33.2 Read the situations and write sentences with I think/I 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) ---.
33.3 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)
33.4 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.
33.1
2 You should look for another job.
3 He shouldn't go to bed so late.
4 You should take a photograph.
5 She shouldn't use her car so much.
6 He should put some pictures on the walls.
33.2
2 I think smoking should be banned in restaurants.
3 I don't think you should go out this evening.
4 I think the government should resign.
33.3
3 should come
4 should do
5 should have done
6 should win
7 should have won
8 should be
9 should have arrived
33.4
3 We should have reserved a table.
4 The shop should be open./The shop should have opened by now. or It should
5 She shouldn't be driving so fast. or She shouldn't be doing 50 miles an hour.
6 You should have come to see me.
7 The driver in front shouldn't have stopped without warning.
8 I should have been looking where I was going. or I should have looked where I was going.
