3.3.1: Should Have
- Page ID
- 273319
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Should Have can be used to express failed expectations, strong probabilities, past advice that wasn't taken, and regret. These three charts will help you to understand these meanings.
1) Failed Expectation
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SHOULD HAVE |
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Should have expresses a past expectation that was not met, disappointment. What we normally expect did not happen. A should have clause is often followed by a but clause. |
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MODAL |
HAVE + PAST PARTICIPLE |
REST OF SENTENCE |
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The movie should |
have been |
available last week. (but it wasn't) |
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The class should |
have started |
by now. (but it hasn't) |
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I should |
have bought |
my mother something for Mother's Day (but I didn't) |
Should Have
2) Strong Probability (We don't know if our expectation was met or not.)
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Should have also expresses a strong probability that an expectation in a past situation has been met. In this case, we believe that our expectation has been met, but we are not sure. We often use this with the expression "by now." The past is expressed with should+have+past participle (perfect tense verb form) |
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SHOULD HAVE + PAST PARTICIPLE |
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A: Daniela's flight should have arrived by now. (We don't know if it has arrived.) B: I'll check the Arrivals and Departures board to see. |
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A: Mary should have found out if she got the job. Her interview was a few days ago. (We don't know if she has found out.) B: Let's call her and ask! |
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A: Leah should have had her baby by now. She went into labor several hours ago. (We don't know if she has had her baby.) B: I'm sure her mother will call when it is born. |
Note: In the above examples, "should have" is ambiguous. It could have more than one meaning. Either we know that the expectation has NOT been met like in Chart 1, or we think it has been met, but we are not sure like in Chart 2. The context should tell the reader or listener which one is true.
Should Have
3) Past Advice or Regret
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SHOULD HAVE + PAST PARTICIPLE |
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Should have expresses advice that comes too late, after a specific event has already occurred. It can also express regret that a certain action was or was not taken. |
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You should have tried ordering your textbooks online to save money. (but you didn't) |
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He should have asked one of his professors for a recommendation. (but he didn't) |
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She shouldn't have talked on her cell phone when she was in the movie theater. (but she did) |
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I should have studied harder for the test. (I didn't study hard enough) |
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We shouldn't have bought such an expensive car. (but we did) |
Also see Could / Should Have
Common Mistakes
Error and Solution
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ERROR |
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*We should had left earlier. |
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*Do we should take another bottle of water? |
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Solution |
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We should have left earlier. (Use the "perfect" verb form, which does not change to a past form.) |
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Should we take another bottle of water. (Use should not do as the auxiliary.) |
Exercise 1
Identify the meaning of should have.
1. Larry should have been at the meeting. We really needed his input.
failed expectation strong probability past advice regret
2. I should have gotten up earlier. I was late for my exam.
failed expectation strong probability past advice regret
3. The flight should have arrived by now, but it's not here. Maybe it was delayed in Dallas.
failed expectation strong probability past advice regret
4. The flight should have arrived by now. We'd better hurry up and get to the gate!
failed expectation strong probability past advice regret
5. That salesperson should have been more polite.
failed expectation strong probability past advice regret
6. The students shouldn't have used their cell phones during class.
failed expectation strong probability past advice regret
7. Linh should have passed the test. She studied so hard.
failed expectation strong probability past advice regret
Exercise 2
Consider the following situations and then tell what the people should or shouldn't have done.
1. The man lost all his money at the race track betting on horses.
He shouldn't have bet all his money on horses.______________
2. The man's wife gave him some of her money so that he could gamble again.
3. My car broke down on the highway because the engine was low on oil.
4. My brother lost his job because he argued with his boss and told his boss that he quit.
5. While I was driving to school, I saw an accident in which a man drove through a red light while speeding.
6. My mother smoked all her life and died of lung cancer.
7. My friend borrowed $1,000 from me and never paid me back.
8. Yesterday was my mother's birthday and I didn't buy her a present because I forgot it was her birthday.
9. Yesterday at work, my friend felt very bad because he had gotten drunk the night before and he had a very bad hangover in the morning.
10. I didn’t go to bed until late last night because I had to do my homework.
Exercise 3
A Faulty Machine
A. Read for Errors
Do you think we should to take this DVD player back to the store where we bought it? It plays the picture out of sync * with the sound. It should have worked fine. I was watching it this morning and it was all right. I want to take it back because the salesman should tell us about that problem, but he didn't. The instructions say that we should restarting the machine to fix the audio-video sync problem. I tried three times! It should worked, but it didn't ! I called them and they told me that I should return it to the company that makes it in its original box. However, I didn't keep the original box. I threw it away, but I guess I should know to keep it. I'm not sure what I can do now.
*out of sync – not synchronized or matched together; not having the same timing
B. Edit for errors.
Edit the sentence(s) in the space below each question. Look for past modals. (could have/should have+past participle) and simple modals (should/could) Some sentences may not have any errors.
11. Do you think we should to take this DVD player back to the store where we bought it?
Edit 11:
12. It should have worked fine. I was watching it this morning and it was all right.
Edit 12:
13. I want to take it back because the salesman should tell us about that problem, but he didn't.
Edit 13:
14. The instructions say that we should restarting the machine to fix the audio-video sync problem.
Edit 14:
15. It should worked, but it didn't !
Edit 15:
16. I called them and they told me that I should return it to the company that makes it.
Edit 16:
17. I threw it away, but I guess I should know to keep it.
Edit 17:
Exercises adapted from Grammar-Quizzes by Julie Sevastopoulos licensed for use under CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 International. Edited for B2 level.