Модальный глагол should

When you use it

Should says that something is a good idea: advice, a recommendation, an opinion about the right thing to do. It is weaker than must and have to. Must is a rule; should is a suggestion that the listener can still refuse. You also use should to ask for advice (What should I do?) and, at a later level, to say that something is probably true (The bus should be here soon). In everyday English should is the normal way to give advice without sounding like an order, and it is polite enough to use with strangers as well as friends.

How it is formed

Should is a modal verb: it has one form for every subject, the base verb follows it, and it forms negatives and questions without do.

Subject	Affirmative	Negative	Question
all subjects	you / she / they should see a doctor	you / she / they should not see a doctor	Should you / she / they see a doctor?

Short form: shouldn't. Short answers: Should I call her? Yes, you should. No, you shouldn't.

Ought to means the same and is a little more formal: You ought to see a doctor. It is rare in questions and negatives; use should there.

Use	Example
Advice	You should drink more water.
Opinion about what is right	People should be kinder to each other.
Mild obligation	I should call my grandmother more often.
Asking for advice	Should I take the job?
Softening with I think	I think you should wait. I don't think you should go.

Note the last row: English prefers I don't think you should to I think you shouldn't. The negative moves to think.

Compare the strength of the three verbs.

Verb	Strength	Example
must / have to	necessary	You must wear a helmet on the site.
should	advisable	You should wear a hat; it is sunny.
can	possible, allowed	You can wear what you like.

Examples

• You should see a doctor about that cough.
• Anna should go to bed earlier; she is always tired.
• You shouldn't eat so much sugar.
• Should I wear a tie to the interview?
• Tom should take the train; the roads are icy.
• I think we should call first and then go.
• Children shouldn't be online so late.
• What should we bring to the party?

Examples 1, 2, 3 and 5 are advice to one person, the fourth and the last ask for advice, the sixth is a suggestion softened with I think, and the seventh is a general opinion.

Common mistakes

• ✗ You should to see a doctor. / ✗ She shoulds go.
  ✓ You should see a doctor. / She should go.
  Should is a modal: no to after it, no -s on it. Ukrainian «слід» and Russian «следует» are followed by an infinitive, and learners carry that infinitive marker into English. English modals take the base verb.
• ✗ Do you should call her? / ✗ I don't should go.
  ✓ Should you call her? / I shouldn't go.
  No do with modals. The question inverts should and the subject; the negative adds not directly after should.
• ✗ You must eat more vegetables. (as friendly advice)
  ✓ You should eat more vegetables.
  «Тобі треба / тебе надо» covers both strong necessity and gentle advice. In English must to a friend sounds like an order; should is what advice normally uses.
• ✗ I should called her yesterday. / ✗ I should to have called her.
  ✓ I should have called her yesterday.
  For advice about the past, should is followed by have and the past participle. The modal itself never changes; the tense is carried by the verb after it.
• ✗ You should better ask Tom.
  ✓ You should ask Tom. / You had better ask Tom.
  Russian «лучше спроси» tempts learners to add better after should. English has two separate patterns, should + verb and had better + verb, and they do not mix.

Try it