Exercise 1
For each situation, write a sentence with should or shouldn’t + one of the following:
go away for a few days go to bed so late look for another job
put some pictures on the walls take a photo use her car so much
1 Anna needs a change. …………………….
2 Your salary is very low. You …………………….
3 Jack always finds it hard to get up. He …………………….
4 What a beautiful view! You …………………….
5 Sue drives everywhere. She never walks.
6 Dan’s room isn’t very interesting. She …………………….
Answers
1
1 She should go away for a few days.
2 You should look for another job.
3 He shouldn’t go to bed so late.
4 You should take a photo.
5 She shouldn’t use her car so much.
6 He should put some pictures on the walls.
Exercise 2
Read the situations and write sentences with I think / I don’t think … should ….
1 Joe and Catherine are planning to get married. You think it’s a bad idea.
…………………….
2 Jane has a bad cold, but plans to go out tonight. You don’t think this is a good idea. You say to her:
…………………….
3 Peter needs a job. He’s just seen an advert for a job which you think would be ideal for him, but he’s not sure whether to apply or not. You say to him:
…………………….
4 The government wants to increase taxes, but you don’t think this is a good idea.
…………………….
Answers
2
1 I don’t think they should get married.
2 I don’t think you should go out . / I think you should stay at home.
3 I think you should apply for it. / … for the job.
4 I don’t think the government should increase taxes.
Exercise 3
Complete the sentences with should (have) + the verb in brackets.
1 Helen ……………………. the exam. She’s been studying very hard. (pass)
2 You missed a great party last night. ……………………. . (come)
3 We don’t see you enough. You ……………………. and see us more often. (come)
4 I’m in a difficult position. What do you think I ……………………. now? (do)
5 I’m sorry that I didn’t take your advice. I ……………………. what you said. (do)
6 We lost the game yesterday, but we ……………………. . We were the better team. (win)
7 Tanya has a tennis match against Jane tomorrow. Jane ……………………. – she’s much better than Tanya. (win)
8 ‘Is Joe here yet?’ ‘Not yet, but he ……………………. here soon.’ (be)
9 We went the wrong way and got lost. We ……………………. right, not left. (turn)
Answers
3
1 should pass
2 should have come
3 should come
4 should do
5 should have done
6 should have won
7 should win
8 should be
9 should have turned
Exercise 4
Read the situation and write sentences with should/shouldn’t. Some of the sentences are past and some are present.
1 I’m feeling sick. I ate too much.
I …………………….
2 That man on the motorbike isn’t wearing a helmet. That’s dangerous.
He …………………….
3 When we got to the restaurant, there were no free tables. We hadn’t reserved one.
We …………………….
4 The notice says that the shop is open every day from 8.30. It is 9 o’clock now, but the shop isn’t open yet. …………………….
5 The speed limit is 30 miles an hour, but Kate is doing 50.
She …………………….
6 Laura told me her address, but I didn’t write it down. Now I can’t remember the house number.
I …………………….
7 I was driving behind another car. Suddenly, the driver in front stopped without warning and I drove into the back of his car. It wasn’t my fault.
The driver in front …………………….
8 I walked into a wall. I was looking behind me. I wasn’t looking where I was going.
…………………….
Answers
4
1 I shouldn’t have eaten so much.
2 He should be wearing a helmet.
3 We should have reserved a table.
4 The shop should be open (now). / The shop should have opened by now. or It should …
5 She shouldn’t be doing 50. / She shouldn’t be driving so fast. / She should be driving more slowly.
6 I should have written down her address. / I should have written her address down. or I should have written it down.
7 The driver in front shouldn’t have stopped without warning. / … shouldn’t have stopped so suddenly.
8 I should have been looking where I was going. / I shouldn’t have been looking behind me.
