shouldn't
v.v. the short form of 'should not'. You use it to say that something is a bad idea or that you do not expect it to happen.
v. the contracted form of 'should not', used to express negative obligation, advice, or low probability.
You shouldn't eat so much sugar.
We shouldn't have any trouble finding the house if we follow the map carefully.
While the data suggests a trend, one shouldn't assume that these results will remain consistent across all demographics without further testing.
From should + -n't.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
A modal auxiliary verb followed by the base form of the main verb without 'to'.
You shouldn't to go there.You shouldn't go there.The modal verb 'shouldn't' is followed by the bare infinitive, not the full infinitive with 'to'.
Last updated May 3, 2026