Shall and Should

This article dives into "shall" for formal suggestions and "should" for advice or recommendations. Detailed explanations and a quiz to test your knowledge.

modals shall should

Shall

'Shall' is a modal verb that is used to:

predict the future

give commands

show determination

make suggestions

make promises or offers

Talking about or Predicting the Future

Traditionally, the modal 'shall' was used with 'I' and 'We' and 'You' to express an intention for a future action. However, in modern English, 'shall' is usually replaced with 'will'.

Example

We shall visit Rome this summer.

I shall be there by noon.

Giving Commands

Showing Determination

'Shall' is used in formal or legal contexts to show obligation and regulation or give a command that needs to be followed. For example:

'Shall' is used in formal contexts to express determination or resolve. For examples:

Example

I shall have you listen to what I say.

The tenant shall pay rent on the first of each month.

I shall overcome this obstacle.

Employees shall comply with safety regulations.

Making Suggestions

'Shall' can also be used to make suggestions or proposals in English, particularly in more formal contexts. For example:

Example

Shall we start our meeting?

Shall we go home?

Should and Shall

You can also use the modal verb 'should' to make suggestions. There is no difference in meaning. But in modern English, 'should' is more commonly used.

Example

Should we start our meeting?

Making Promises or Offers

'Shall' is often used in British English and formal contexts to make promises or to volunteer for something. For example:

Example

Shall I make some tea?

I shall never break my promises!

Should

'Should' is the past tense of 'shall,' but it doesn't always express a past meaning; rather, it appears as the grammatical past tense of 'shall' in clauses that call for it.

Should: Functions

'Should' is used in a number of different contexts, including:

giving advice, suggestion or recommendation

talking about expectations

talking about unfulfilled obligations

giving an order or instruction

Giving Advice, Suggestion, or Recommendation

'Should' is commonly used to give advice or make suggestions in English. 'Should' is used to give advice based on what the speaker believes is the right or appropriate course of action. Take a look at the examples:

Example

You should eat more vegetables.

This sentence offers a piece of advice or a recommendation.

You should watch The Harry Potter movies. They're awesome!

This sentence makes a suggestion.

You can also advise someone not to do something by using the negative form of 'should', which is 'shouldn't' or 'should not'. For example:

Example

You shouldn't drink and drive.

He should not treat his friends like that.

Warning

Do not use verbs like 'think' or 'believe' with the negative form of 'should'.
To make such sentences negative, 'think' or 'believe' are negated, and 'should' is kept as it is. Here are some examples:

Example

I don't think you should eat too many candies.

(NOT I think you ~~shouldn't~~ eat too many candies.)

Talking about Expectations

'Should' is also used to talk about a situation that is likely and expected to happen in the present or the future. It can also be used to predict the future. For example:

Example

According to the weather forecast, it should be snowing tomorrow.

The bus should arrive in ten minutes.

'Should' can also be used to talk about something that was expected to happen in the past, but did not happen.
In this case, we use 'should + have + past participle'. For example:

Example

He should have been more careful.

It means he wasn't careful enough.

I should have finished the book by Friday.

Here in this example the speaker means 'I didn't finish the book by Friday'.

Talking about Unfulfilled Obligations

'Should' can also be used in the present continuous tense to talk about obligations that are not being met.
In this case, we use 'should + be + verb + -ing'.

Example

You should be studying for the exam.

In this case the addressee is not studying.

We should be helping our mother to make dinner.

Giving an Order or Instruction

'Should' is sometimes used to express an obligation, give orders, or provide instructions. When used in this way, 'should' is often used to suggest that something is necessary or expected, rather than to give a direct command. Take a look at the examples:

Example

All visitors should pay the fee beforehand.

This example refers to the obligation. They must pay the fee beforehand.

Should vs. Must

The modal verb 'must' can also be used for giving orders. The difference between 'should' and 'must' is that 'should' is not as strong as 'must'. Using 'should' is more polite.

Example

All visitors must pay the fee beforehand.

Using ''must'' is more direct.

Should vs. Ought to

Sometimes 'should' is replaced by the modal verb 'ought to'. 'Ought to' is more formal and is not used very commonly in spoken English.

Example

You should apologize. = You ought to apologize.

Should in Conditionals

'Should' can be used in the condition clause of first conditionals to give a tentative tone to the condition. For example:

Example

If you should need help, call me.

This usage can turn into an inverted clause by removing the condition marker:

Example

Should you need help, call me.

'Should' can also be used in the result clause of second and third conditionals, but its use is less common and more nuanced than 'would':

Example

If you asked politely, she should agree.

Less certain than "would"; implies "it's likely she'd agree."

If they had left on time, they should have arrived by now.

They didn't arrive, so they probably did not leave on time.

'Should + But'

There is a specific grammatical structure in English that involves the use of the modal verb 'should'. This structure typically includes a background sentence, followed by one of the interrogative pronouns (what or who) placed before 'should', and then the word 'but' followed by a phrase that expresses a surprising or unexpected outcome.

Take a look at the examples.

Example

I went to the party and what should they serve but wine.

I was having fun, and who should I meet but Ian.

Review

'Shall' and 'Should' are used as modal verbs. The tables below summarize the different functions of 'shall' and 'should'.

	shall
predicting the future	They shall get married.
showing determination	I shall deal with this on my own.
making suggestions	Shall we go to Becan Hills?
making promises or offers	I shall be there for you.

	should
giving advice, suggestion or recommendation	You should drink some soup to get better.
talking about expectations	The road should be covered by snow as it was snowing all night.
giving an order or instruction	You should mix the eggs after whipping the cream.
talking about unfulfilled obligations	You should be studying instead of playing videogames.

Comments

(1)

S Sahoo

Jul 2024

Robust explanation has been provided, pedagogically coherent.

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Shall and Should