What does "should" mean?

1. (advice or duty) you use this to give advice or say that something is the right thing to do. 2. (expectation) you use this to say that you expect something to happen because it is likely. 3. (hypothetical conditions) used in 'if' sentences to talk about things that might happen. 4. (first-person 'would') an old-fashioned or very formal way to say 'would' when talking about yourself. 5. (an obligation) something that people feel they must do, even if they do not want to.

How do you use "should"?

Followed by the bare infinitive without 'to'. Often used in the 'should you...' inversion at the start of a sentence. Limited to first-person subjects ('I' or 'we'). Usually used in philosophical or psychological contexts.

Is it correct to say "You should to go home."?

No — say "You should go home.". Do not use 'to' after should. It is followed by the base form of the verb.

should

v. · n.

US //ˈʃʊd// UK //ʃˈʊd// should

1 advice or duty (v.)
A1 Beginner

you use this to give advice or say that something is the right thing to do.

used to express a recommendation, moral obligation, or the most advisable course of action.

Example

You should eat more vegetables if you want to stay healthy.

Example

The committee decided that the department should implement stricter protocols to prevent future data breaches.

Usage

Followed by the bare infinitive without 'to'.

Teacher's tip

Learners often confuse 'should' with 'must'; explain that 'should' is usually a suggestion or a duty, while 'must' is a hard requirement.
- ought to
- must
Pitfall

You should to go home.

You should go home.

Do not use 'to' after should. It is followed by the base form of the verb.
2 expectation (v.)
B1 Intermediate

you use this to say that you expect something to happen because it is likely.

used to indicate that an event or state is probable or expected based on current facts.

Example

The bus should be here in five minutes if the traffic is light.

Example

Given the current rate of progress, the construction crew should finish the structural work before the winter rains begin.
- expect
- likely

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3 hypothetical conditions (v.)
C1 Advanced Formal Literary

used in 'if' sentences to talk about things that might happen.

used in conditional clauses to express a possibility, often replacing 'if' in formal inversion.

Example

Should you need any help, please call me at any time.

Example

Should the negotiations fail to reach a consensus by midnight, the mediators are prepared to suggest a temporary cooling-off period.

Usage

Often used in the 'should you...' inversion at the start of a sentence.

Teacher's tip

This is a high-level formal structure. Advise students to use 'if' in everyday speech but recognize this in formal emails.
- if
- in case
4 first-person 'would' (v.)
C1 Advanced British English Formal Archaic

an old-fashioned or very formal way to say 'would' when talking about yourself.

used with 'I' or 'we' as a formal alternative to 'would' in conditional structures.

Example

I should be delighted to join you for dinner next week.

Example

We should be most grateful if you could forward the signed documents at your earliest convenience.

Usage

Limited to first-person subjects ('I' or 'we').

Teacher's tip

This is increasingly rare in modern English. Students should know it exists in literature but avoid using it themselves.
- would
5 an obligation (n.)
C2 Proficiency Academic Formal

something that people feel they must do, even if they do not want to.

a duty or obligation, often contrasted with what is actually happening.

Example

Life is full of 'shoulds' that make us feel guilty.

Example

The philosopher explored the tension between the 'is' of reality and the 'should' of moral idealism.

Usage

Usually used in philosophical or psychological contexts.

Teacher's tip

This is a nominalization of the modal verb. It is very rare and usually appears in discussions about ethics or psychology.
- duty
- ought

Origin

From Middle English scholde, from Old English sċolde, first and third person preterite form of sċulan (“should,” “have to,” “to owe”), the ancestor of English shall. By surface analysis, shall + -ed. Cognate with German sollte, Gothic 𐍃𐌺𐌿𐌻𐌳𐌰 (skulda), Swedish skulle. Related to Middle English shild and shildy. The loss of /l/ in this word is probably due to weak stress, as in would and could (though in the latter, the /l/ was due to the analogy of the former two).