The meaning of SHOULD is —used in auxiliary function to express condition —usually used with if. How to use should in a sentence.

SHOULD definition: 1. used to say or ask what is the correct or best thing to do: 2. used to show when something is…. Learn more.

(Grammar) the past tense of shall: used as an auxiliary verb to indicate that an action is considered by the speaker to be obligatory (you should go) or to form the subjunctive mood …

The main verb can never be the to-infinitive. We cannot say: He should to go. There is no short form for should, but we can shorten the negative should not to shouldn't.

The English modal auxiliary verbs are a subset of the English auxiliary verbs used mostly to express modality, properties such as possibility and obligation. [a] They can most easily be …

Feb 19, 2025 · Learn how to use the English verbs should, must, and ought to. Get clear, simple grammar advice from expert English teachers at the British Council.

Learn about modal verbs and their different meanings and do the exercises to practise using them.

SHOULD definition: must; ought (used to indicate duty, propriety, or expediency). See examples of should used in a sentence.

You use should in expressions such as I should like and I should be happy to show politeness when you are saying what you want to do, or when you are requesting, offering, or accepting …

Dec 17, 2025 · should (third-person singular simple present shoulds, present participle shoulding, simple past and past participle shoulded) To make a statement of what ought to be true, as …