language note: Should is a modal verb. It is used with the base form of a verb.
1. modal verb
You use should when you are saying what would be the right thing to do or the right state for something to be in.
I should exercise more.
The diet should be maintained unchanged for about a year.
He's never going to be able to forget it. And I don't think he should.
Sometimes I am not as brave as I should be.
Should our children be taught to swim at school?
2. modal verb
You use should to give someone an order to do something, or to report an official order.
All visitors should register with the British Embassy.
The European Commission ruled that the company should pay back tens of millions ofpounds.
3. modal verb
If you say that something should have happened, you mean that it did not happen, but that you wish it had. If you say that something should not have happened, you mean that it did happen, but that you wish it had not.
I should have gone this morning but I was feeling a bit ill.
I should have been in the shade, then I wouldn't have got burned.
You should have done that yesterday you idiot!
You should have written to the area manager again.
I shouldn't have said what I did.
4. modal verb
You use should when you are saying that something is probably the case or will probably happen in the way you are describing. If you say that something should have happened by a particular time, you mean that it will probably have happened by that time.
You should have no problem with reading this language.
The voters should by now be in no doubt what the parties stand for.
The doctor said it will take six weeks and I should be fine by then.
We should have finished by a quarter past two and the bus doesn't leave till halfpast.
5. modal verb
You use should in questions when you are asking someone for advice, permission, or information.
Should I or shouldn't I go to university?
What should I do?
Please could you advise me what I should do?
Should I go back to the motel and wait for you to phone?
Should I fetch your slippers?
Should we tell her about it?
6. modal verb
You say 'I should', usually with the expression 'if I were you', when you are giving someone advice by telling them what you would do if you were in their position.
[formal]
I should look out if I were you!
James, I should refuse that consultancy with Shapiro, if I were you.
I should go if I were you.
7. modal verb
You use should in conditional clauses when you are talking about things that might happen.
[formal]
If you should be fired, your health and pension benefits will not be automaticallycut off.
Should you buy a home from them, the company promises to buy it back at the sameprice after three years.
Should Havelock become the first Englishman to retain his world title, he will bethe last to do so under the present system.
8. modal verb
You use should in 'that' clauses after certain verbs, nouns, and adjectives when you are talking about a future event or situation.
He raised his glass and indicated that I should do the same.
I insisted that we should have a look at every car.
My father was very keen that I should fulfill my potential.
George was sincerely anxious that his son should find happiness and security.
It seems such a pity that a distinguished name should be commercialized in such amanner.
There is a wish among competitors that the test should be changed every four years.
9. modal verb
You use should in expressions such as I should think and I should imagine to indicate that you think something is true but you are not sure.
[vagueness]
I should think it's going to rain soon.
'I suppose that was the right thing to do.'—'I should imagine so.'.
'Can we be talking about the same thing?'—'I should hope so.'
10. modal verb
You use should in expressions such as I should like and I should be happy to show politeness when you are saying what you want to do, or when you are requesting, offering, or accepting something.
[politeness]
I should be happy if you would bring them this evening.
'I should like to know anything you can tell me,' said Kendal.
I should like a word with the carpenter.
I should like to ask you to come with us for a quiet supper.
That is very kind of you both. I should like to come.
'You can go and see her if you like.'—'I should be delighted to do so.'.
She thought, 'I should like her for a friend.'.
11. modal verb
You use should in expressions such as You should have seen us and You should have heard him to emphasize how funny, shocking, or impressive something that you experienced was.
[spoken, emphasis]
You should have heard him last night!
You should have seen him when he first came out–it was so sad.
He started crying and I cried too. You should have seen us.
You should have seen his roses! As good a show as in the Botanic Garden.
You should have seen his face when she tapped him on the shoulder. Talk about surprise!
12. modal verb
You use should in question structures which begin with words like 'who' and 'what' and are followed by 'but' to emphasize how surprising or shocking a particular event was.
[spoken, emphasis]
I'm making these plans and who should I meet but this blonde guy and John.
English Easy Learning GrammarShouldThe modal verb should is used in the following ways: to talk about moral obligation. Compare ought to on Ought to. They should do what you suggest. People ... Read more
English Easy Learning GrammarModal verbsModal verbs are a particular kind of auxiliary. Look, I can do it! – Oh yes! So you can. Can I use your phone? – Of course you can. Do you think she will ... Read more
English Easy Learning GrammarOught toThe use of ought to is similar to should, but it is much less frequent. Like should, the verb ought to does not have a past form. It is only used with ... Read more
should in British English
(ʃʊd)
verb
the past tense of shall: used as an auxiliary verb to indicate that an action is considered by the speaker to be obligatory (you should go) or to form the subjunctive mood with I or we (I should like to see you; if I should be late, go without me)
See also shall
▶ USAGE Should has, as its most common meaning in modern English, the sense ought as in I should go to the graduation, but I don't see how I can. However, the older sense of the subjunctive of shall is often used with I or we to indicate a more polite form than would: I should like to go, but I can't. In much speech and writing, should has been replaced by would in contexts of this kind, but it remains in formal English when a conditional subjunctiveis used: should he choose to remain, he would be granted asylum
Word origin
Old English sceold; see shall
should in American English
(ʃʊd)
auxiliary verb
1. pt. of
shall
I had hoped I should see you
2.
used to express obligation, duty, propriety, or desirability
you should ask first, the plants should be watered weekly
3.
used to express expectation or probability
he should be here soon, I should know by tomorrow
4.
used to express a future condition
if I should die tomorrow, if you should be late
5.
used in polite or tentative expression of opinion
I should think they will be pleased
see also UNRESOLVED CROSS REF
Word origin
ME scholde < OE sceolde, pt. of sceal, scal, I am obliged: see shall
Examples of 'should' in a sentence
should
The thin ideal is something that we should all robustly challenge.
Times, Sunday Times (2011)
How should he go about filling it?
Times, Sunday Times (2009)
So why should anger be something to be afraid of?
Times, Sunday Times (2008)
He should have been going there for years.
Times, Sunday Times (2006)
So it is not something we should throw away lightly.
Times, Sunday Times (2015)
After that we should have gone on and won the game comfortably.
Times, Sunday Times (2013)
They should do something like this.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
You should go ahead with the purchase if it makes a net contribution to shareholders' wealth.
Charles A. D'Ambrosio & Stewart D. Hodges & Richard Brealey & Stewart Myers Principles of Corporate Finance (1991)
If you think we should have a go, have a go.
Times, Sunday Times (2015)
If there were an afterlife, is it something that we should look forward to or fear?
Times, Sunday Times (2006)
If he wants to tell me something, he should tell me himself.
The Sun (2012)
I fined him because he should not have gone out.
Times, Sunday Times (2009)
In the grass I should like to try and establish two meadow plants.
Page, Russell The Education of a Gardener (1994)
How I should like to see her!
Elizabeth Gaskell Wives and Daughters (1864)
Scatter these over the surface of the jelly (they should float ).
Times, Sunday Times (2008)
There's been a lot of talk of a long-term economic plan but very little specification of what that plan should look like.
Times, Sunday Times (2015)
He sent a message: "I should like to play the flute for you.
Pamela Norris Words Of Love: Passionate Women from Heloise to Sylvia Plath (2006)
He says government should be like business, more for less, but will people then have more time to give to the big society?
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
I suppose I should live like that but it is not my style.
Times, Sunday Times (2014)
In other languages
should
British English: should /ʃʊd/ VERB
You use should when you are saying what is the right thing to do.
He should tell us what happened.
American English: should
Arabic: يَنْبَغِي
Brazilian Portuguese: dever
Chinese: 应该
Croatian: trebati
Czech: měl by
Danish: burde
Dutch: moeten
European Spanish: deber
Finnish: pitäisi
French: il faudrait
German: sollte
Greek: πρέπει
Italian: dovrei, dovresticonditional mood
Japanese: するべきだ
Korean: ~해야한다
Norwegian: burde
Polish: mieć powinność
European Portuguese: dever
Romanian: a trebui
Russian: должен
Latin American Spanish: deber
Swedish: borde
Thai: ควรจะ
Turkish: zorunda olmak
Ukrainian: слід
Vietnamese: nên
All related terms of 'should'
shall
You use shall with 'I' and 'we' in questions in order to make offers or suggestions , or to ask for advice .
should've
Should've is the usual spoken form of 'should have', especially when 'have' is an auxiliary verb .
as who should say
as if one should say
would/should be obliged
If you tell someone that you would be obliged or should be obliged if they would do something, you are telling them in a polite but firm way that you want them to do it.
I would be obliged
expressions used to tell someone in a polite but firm way that one wants them to do something
Chinese translation of 'should'
should
(ʃud)
aux vb
(indicating advisability)
I should go now我现(現)在应(應)该(該)走了 (wǒ xiànzài yīnggāi zǒu le)
(indicating obligation) 应(應)当(當) (yīngdāng)
(indicating likelihood)
he should be there by now/he should get there soon他现(現)在该(該)到那儿(兒)了/他应该(該)很快就到那儿(兒)了 (tā xiànzài gāi dào nàr le/tā yīnggāi hěn kuài jiù dào nàr le)
(frm, = would)
I should go if he asked me如果他要求，我会(會)走的 (rúguǒ tā yāoqiú, wǒ huì zǒu de)
(after "that")
it's not right that we should be fined我们(們)竟会(會)被罚(罰)款，这(這)是不对(對)的 (wǒmen jìng huì bèi fákuǎn, zhè shì bùduì de)
you should have been more careful你本该(該)更加小心 (nǐ běn gāi gèngjiā xiǎoxīn)
he should have arrived by now他现(現)在应(應)该(該)到了 (tā xiànzài yīnggāi dào le)
I should go if I were you我要是你就走了 (wǒ yàoshì nǐ jiù zǒu le)
I should like to我很乐(樂)意 (wǒ hěn lèyì)
I should like to invite them to dinner我想要请(請)他们(們)吃晚餐 (wǒ xiǎng yào qǐng tāmen chī wǎncān)
I should like a strawberry ice cream我想要一份草莓冰淇淋 (wǒ xiǎng yào yī fèn cǎoméi bīngqílín)
should he phone or if he should phone ... 如果他打电(電)话(話)来(來) ... (rúguǒ tā dǎ diànhuà lái ... )