Should 2
Should, Ought to
When giving or asking for advice, we have several choices. The most common form is with should. Ought to is less common and formal, while could refers to suggestions.
Must, have to, and need to express stronger urging, as well as obligation. See OBLIGATION.
Positive Sentence Form
| Subject + should/ought to/could + verb-1 (base form). |
Examples:
• You should go to bed earlier…and wake up earlier.
• The treasury ought to eliminate waste.
• Everyone should read more (books).
• You could ask your friends about job openings at their companies.
Negative Sentence Form
| (-): Subject + should not/never+ verb-1. |
Note:
1. The negative of ought to is ought not to. But this is not used often.
2. We don’t use “couldn’t” as advice not to do something.
Examples:
• Dieters shouldn’t eat too many sugary and starchy foods.
• Motorists should never drive too fast. And they must never drink and drive.
• You ought not to move in that neighbourhood.
• You mustn’t talk to strangers.
Yes-No Questions
| YN-Q: Should(n’t) + subject + verb-1? |
Examples:
• Should I ask the boss for a raise?
• Should I marry Natalie or Tina?
• Shouldn’t you be working instead of viewing dirty websites?
WH Questions
| WH-Q word + should/could + subject + verb-1? Who/What + should/could + verb-1 ? |
Examples:
• What should we do this weekend? —> Let’s watch videos at your house!
• Why should I apologize to him? It was all his fault!
• Who could organize the parade and festivities? —> Let Jill take care of that.
• How could I raise some start-up capital?
Answer the following questions or respond to the given situation. Say why and give examples.
Personal
4:30 am. Patrick sometimes feels stressed from his job. What should he do?
Patrick should . . . . He shouldn’t . . . .
6:00 am. Harry works in a restaurant as a waiter, but doesn’t earn enough money. What should he do?
He should . . . .
8:15 am. Michelle shares an apartment with two other flatmates, but she does not get along with them. Give her some advice.
10:45 am. Mr. Arnold drinks too much beer. Now his wife has left him. He wants to stop drinking. What would you tell him?
12 noon. Daphne spends a lot of time on social media. Her friends says she shouldn’t spend so much time on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter. What should she do?
1:24 pm, 13:24. Jenny’s boyfriend likes to spend time with his friends at his home and their homes. They watch TV, listen to music and talk, talk, talk (nonsense). Jenny is not interested in that.
Work, Career
3:36 pm, 15:36. Tom doesn’t have any friends, because the people in is town are all “cool”, witty, talkative, jocular; but he is a “nerd”.
5:07 pm, 17:07. The rent and cost of apartments and homes in Laura’s town is quite expensive. Most of her earnings goes to her monthly rent.
7:51 pm, 19:51. Fred’s company has closed; it has gone bankrupt, and he lost his job as a marketing manager. He is 51 years old.
10:19 pm, 22:19 pm. Mr. Andy and Mrs. Julie are a couple. Both are in their 60s. They want to look and feel younger.
12 midnight. Mrs. Miller lives alone in her house in a village. She knows her neighbors, but has no real friends.
