SHOULD

SHOULD

Should is one of the most important modal verbs in English.

STRUCTURE

Present

Subject + Should + Base Verb
She should study more often.
They should go inside.

Past

Subject + Should + Have + Past Participle
She should have studied more often.
We should be quiet.


USES

Recommendations
You should see the new Spiderman movie.
You should try this ice cream.

Advice
You should eat less sugar.
You should not smoke.

Obligation
I should get back to work.
We shouldn't be here.

Questions

Reverse should and the verb to ask questions:

Advice
Should I study chapter 1 or chapter 2?
How should I invest my money?

Expectations
Should the dog be allowed in the house?

Should is commonly found in English conditionals.

Practice Should with these tests:
Should vs. Must Test



Should Quiz

1
You should
to stop
smoking.

2
What do you think I
should
do?

3
People should
understanding
that the world has changed.

4
Those children
they should
be at school.

5
That motorcyclist
shoulds
be wearing a helmet.

6
You paid 99! It
should'd
have cost more than 50.

7
If I won the lottery I
will
buy a castle.

8
If I were you I
shouldn't
complain.

9
The teacher demanded that John should
works
harder.

10
Get me a drink |
How should
I? Get your own!


Modal Verbs and their substitutes
Modal verbs are for example may, can, must, should, need. They express an ability, permission, wish
etc. to do something. (I may, can, must swim.) Many modal verbs cannot be used in all of the English
tenses. That's why we need to know the substitutes to these modal verbs.
Modal Verb Substitute Example
must to have to I must swim. = I have to swim.
must not not to be allowed to I must not swim. = I am not allowed to swim.
can to be able to I can swim. = I am able to swim.
may to be allowed to I may swim. = I am allowed to swim.
need to have to I need to swim. = I have to swim.
need not not to have to I need not swim. = I don't have to swim.
shall / should/
ought to
to be supposed to / to be
expected to / to be to
I shall / should / ought to swim. = I am supposed to
swim. / I am expected to swim. / I am to swim.
WOULD
Would is an important modal verb in English. It is one of the most commonly used modals.
Here are some of its uses:

Polite form of Want
"Want" is often too direct, and can sometimes be rude.
"Would" is more indirect and also more polite.
Instead of "Do you want...?", say "Would you like...?"

Examples:
Do you want a drink? Would you like a drink?
Do you want to go? Would you like to go?

Invitations
"Would you like" is used for polite invitations:
Would you like to go to a party tonight?
Would you like to watch a movie with me?

Offers
"Would you like" is used for polite offers:
Would you like a drink of water?
Would you like another piece of cake?

Hypothetical Situations
Would is used to show situations or actions that are not real.
This includes using would in the 2nd conditional and the 3rd conditional.


Examples:
I would buy a car if I had more money.
I would have bought a car if I had had more money.

In these situations, "would" is normally the decision you make.

Example:
If I found a wallet, I could return it or keep it. I should return it. However, I would keep the
money and return the wallet.


Have to (objective obligation)
We often use have to to say that something is obligatory, for example:
Children have to go to school.

Note that we can use the have to expression in all tenses, for example:
I have to, I had to, I have had to, I will have to

Structure
Have to is often grouped with modal auxiliary verbs for convenience, but in fact it is not a modal verb.
It is not even an auxiliary verb. In the have to structure, "have" is a main verb. The structure is:
subject + auxiliary verb + have + infinitive (with to)
Look at these examples in the simple tense:


subject auxiliary verb main verb have infinitive (with to)

+ She has to work.
- I do not have to see the doctor.
? Did you have to go to school?

Use of Have to
In general, have to expresses impersonal obligation. The subject of have to is obliged or forced to act
by a separate, external power (for example, the Law or school rules). Have to is objective. Look at
these examples:

In France, you have to drive on the right.
In England, most schoolchildren have to wear a uniform.
John has to wear a tie at work.
In each of the above cases, the obligation is not the subject's opinion or idea. The obligation is imposed
from outside.
We can use have to in all tenses, and also with modal auxiliaries. We conjugate it just like any other
main verb. Here are some examples:
subject auxiliary verb main verb have infinitive
past simple I had to work yesterday.
present simple I have to work today.
future simple I will have to work tomorrow.
present continuous She is having to wait.
present perfect We have had to change the time.
modal (may) They may have to do it again.