How to use the modal verb should?

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The verb should is a modal verb (modal verb) which means he must; should.

Like every modal verb, it works as an auxiliary verb that helps the main verb of the sentence.

Examples:

they should be back tomorrow. (She should come back tomorrow.)
students should be more polite. (Students should be more polite.)

Besides should, in English we can also use the structure ought to to express the same idea. The difference between using these two verb forms is that ought to indicates a more formal treatment.

Examples:

You ought to be more attentive. (You should be more attentive.) - AFFIRMATIVE
You ought not to drink if you are going to drive. (You shouldn't drink if he's going to drive.) -NEGATIVE
Ought he to be here this early? (Should he be here so soon?) - INTERROGATIVE

NOTE: note that, unlike what happens with should (which accompanies the main verb in the infinitive without the I'm), ought to is used with infinitive with the I'm.

when to use should?

the modal verb should is used to express advice, suggestion, expectation, probability, and duty.

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Examples:

She should not go out late at night. (She shouldn't go out alone late at night.) – ADVICE
You should arrive early at the airport. (You must arrive early at the airport.) – TIP
He should get home in a few minutes. (He should be home in a few minutes.) – EXPECTATION
I should arrive in 5 minutes. (I should arrive in 5 minutes.) - PROBABILITY
We should fasten our seatbealts. (We must put on the seat belt.) – DUTY

Note that the use of the modal verb should it has a direct impact on the meaning of the main verbs. In the first sentence, for example, without the use of should the main verb (I'mgo out) just means “to leave” and not “should leave”.

How to use should?

The verb should, like every modal verb, is always accompanied by a main verb in the infinitive without the I'm.

Example: he should be more careful. (He should be more careful.)

In the sentence above, the main verb in the infinitive is to be, however, we removed the I'm and we only use well.

Should can be used in sentences affirmatives, negative and interrogatives.

Look at the table below and learn how to use the verb should in affirmative, negative and interrogative forms. The main verb used as an example is the verb to study (to study).

AFFIRMATIVE	NEGATIVE	INTERROGATIVE
I should study you should study He/she/it should study we should study you should study they should study	I should not/shouldn’t study You should not/shouldn’t study He/she/it should not/shouldn’t study We should not/shouldn’t study You should not/shouldn’t study They should not study	Should I study? Should you study? Should he/she/it study? Should we study? Should you study? Should they study?

IMPORTANT

If so, we use the could for all people, including he/she/it. the rule of Simple Present which requires the addition of the –s for third-person inflections is not applied here.
To form sentences in negative form, we can use should not or the contracted form shouldn't. The meaning of both forms is the same.
When making sentences with should in the interrogative form, just change the position of this modal verb in the sentence: unlike what happens in the affirmative, in the interrogative the verb should must be positioned before the subject.