Eclectic English Home Page Should and Shouldn't
  Should and Shouldn't - Grammar Reference and Practice Exercises

Created by: Nikita Kovalyov
Updated: April 2004




Part 1  Part 2

Should & Shouldn't - When to Use; How to Use
Should & Shouldn't - Positives; Negatives; and Questions


Should and Shouldn't - Use

  • We use should and shouldn't to give advice or to talk about what we think is right or wrong.

  • You should means something like I think it is a good idea for you to do it.

  • You shouldn't means something like I think it is a bad idea for you to do it.

  • Should is used to express the opinion of a speaker and often follows I think or I don't think.


Examples

     You look tired. I think you should take a few days off.

     Alice works very long hours. She should to talk to her boss.

     - I have an English test tomorrow.
     - I shouldn't worry if I were you. You have worked really hard.

     - I never have enough money.
     - I don't think you should go out so much.


Should - Quick Grammar Note

To give advice to someone you can also say:

  • I should do it if I were you.
  • I shouldn't be so rude, if I were you.

When you regret not doing something in the past, you can say:

  • I shouldn't have spoken to him like that.
  • I should have apologized earlier.

  



Should or Shouldn't - Practice

Exercise. Chose should or shouldn't.

  1. You be so selfish.

  2. I don't think you smoke so much.

  3. You exercise more.

  4. I think you try to speak to her.

  5. You are overweight. You go on a diet.

  6. Where we park our car?

  7. You never speak to your mother like this.

  8. The kids spend so much time in front of the TV.

  9. I tell her the truth or should I say nothing?

  10. I think we reserve our holiday in advance.



Tip! We do not use shouldn't where there isn't any obligation at all.
Instead we use don't have to or don't need to.

 RATE THIS PAGE 
 bad  good   
  1  2  3  4  5   


Part 1  Part 2

Should & Shouldn't - When to Use; How to Use
Should & Shouldn't - Positives; Negatives; and Questions


have to and have got to Learn More

Have To and Don't Have To - When to use and how to use. Grammar reference and practice exercises for learners of English as a second language.




  


More Practice Pages:

  • Present Perfect Tense - when to use; how to form; how to use yet already, for and since; the difference between the Present Perfect and the Past Simple tenses

  • "Comparative" Geography Quiz for Pre-Intermediate level. A quiz that practices comparative and superlative forms of adjectives.

More activities on the Eclectic English Home Page.

Google
  Web www.EclecticEnglish.com
Copyright © 2002 - 2004 EclecticEnglish.Com All rights reserved.
www.EclecticEnglish.com / Nikita Kovalyov www.kovalyov.com