Should: what should I do? Should exercises for giving and asking for advice

This A2 drill lesson gives should and shouldn't exercises for advice: should + verb with no -s or to, Should I…? questions, and opinions with I think you should…

Grammar: Should / shouldn't + base verb for every person, Should I…? with short answers, wh- questions such as What should I wear?, and I think / I don't think you should…
Topic: Travel: Ask Kiyomi, an invented magazine's advice column for a first trip to Japan, with letters from Benedetta, Mateus and Solveig, and a chat with Anouk.
Activities: True or false, sorting, choices, gap-fills, matching, drag-and-drop texts, word order, tables, find-the-mistake quizzes, a memory game, a chat and a closing test.

What's inside

Chapter 1The rule
- PictureUnlock
- Study the scheme: should and shouldn'tGrammar schemeTry it
- Is the sentence correct? Mark true or falseTrue or falseUnlock
- Sort the phrases: right or wrong?Sort into columnsTry it
- Choose the right formChoose the optionUnlock
- Write the advice: ✔ a good idea, ✘ a bad ideaFill in the gapsUnlock
Chapter 2Should and shouldn't: good advice
- Fill in the gaps: should + verbFill in the gapsTry it
- Fill in the gaps: shouldn't + verbFill in the gapsUnlock
- Choose should or shouldn'tChoose the optionUnlock
- Sort the tips: before a big testSort into columnsUnlock
- Match the problems and the adviceMatchUnlock
- Drag the words into the gapsDrag and dropUnlock
- Put the words in the right orderUnjumbleUnlock
Chapter 3Should I…? Asking for advice
- Fill in the gaps: make questionsFill in the gapsUnlock
- Choose the right short answerChoose the optionTry it
- Fill in the table: positive, negative, questionFill in the tableUnlock
- Write the question for the answerFill in the gapsUnlock
- Put the words in order to make questionsUnjumbleUnlock
- Match the questions and the answersMatchUnlock
- Choose the right question for each answerQuizUnlock
Chapter 4I think you should…
- Choose the right words: I think, I don't thinkChoose the optionUnlock
- Fill in the gaps: say it with I don't thinkFill in the gapsUnlock
- Read Yusra's post and drag the words into the gapsDrag and dropTry it
- Match the beginnings and the endingsMatchUnlock
- Find the mistake and choose the right wordsQuizUnlock
- Read the vet's tips and fill in the gapsFill in the gapsUnlock
Chapter 5Real life: Ask Kiyomi
- Read the advice columnReal-life documentUnlock
- Read the column again: true or false?True or falseUnlock
- Read Mateus's letter and Kiyomi's answer and fill in the gapsFill in the gapsUnlock
- Read Solveig's letter and Kiyomi's answer and drag the words into the gapsDrag and dropUnlock
- Read Kiyomi's quick answers and choose the right wordsChoose the optionUnlock
- Choose the right replies: Anouk texts youChatTry it
- Test yourself: choose the right answerQuizUnlock
Chapter 6Homework
- Choose the right form: should + verbChoose the optionUnlock
- Fill in the gaps: what's the best advice?Fill in the gapsUnlock
- Find the matching pairs: problems and adviceMemory gameUnlock
- Put the words in the right order: sentencesUnjumbleUnlock
- Write the questions: Should…? What should…?Fill in the gapsUnlock
- Sort the tips for a long flightSort into columnsUnlock
- Fill in the table: questions and short answersFill in the tableUnlock
- Choose the correct sentenceQuizUnlock
- Mark true or false: is the sentence right?True or falseUnlock
- Put the words in the right order: questionsUnjumbleUnlock
- Read Grandma Ilse's email and drag the words into the gapsDrag and dropUnlock
- Read Thibault's review and fill in the gapsFill in the gapsUnlock
- Find the wrong words and choose the right onesQuizUnlock
- Match the questions and the answers: moving to a new cityMatchUnlock
- Choose the right words: safety at the poolChoose the optionUnlock

Grammar: should and shouldn't for advice

Should says something is a good idea and shouldn't says it's a bad one: You have a cold. You should stay at home. It stays the same for every person and takes the base verb, and questions and negatives need no do.

Should: what should I do?

Give advice and ask for it: should / shouldn't + verb.

Should / shouldn't + verb

Should or shouldn't (should not) goes between the subject and the base verb: Leo shouldn't watch TV all evening. He and she take plain should too, so it's She should go, never She shoulds go or She should goes.

should / shouldn't + verb

subjectshould / shouldn'tverb

You should drink more water.

Leo shouldn't watch TV all evening.

My parents should take a vacation.

The same for every person

Who	Positive (+)	Negative (−)	Question (?)
I	I should go.	I should not go. · I shouldn't go.	Should I go?
you	You should go.	You should not go. · You shouldn't go.	Should you go?
he	He should go.	He should not go. · He shouldn't go.	Should he go?
she	She should go.	She should not go. · She shouldn't go.	Should she go?
we	We should go.	We should not go. · We shouldn't go.	Should we go?
they	They should go.	They should not go. · They shouldn't go.	Should they go?

Should I…? and short answers

In a question, should moves in front of the subject: Should Dad see a doctor? Short answers repeat should or shouldn't: Yes, he should. No, he shouldn't. A question with I gets an answer with you: Should I take a jacket? – Yes, you should.

Question	Yes	No
Should I take a jacket?	Yes, you should.	No, you shouldn't.
Should we order pizza?	Yes, you should. · Yes, we should.	No, you shouldn't. · No, we shouldn't.
Should Dad see a doctor?	Yes, he should.	No, he shouldn't.
Should Mia buy the red dress?	Yes, she should.	No, she shouldn't.
Should the kids go to bed?	Yes, they should.	No, they shouldn't.
Should you call your mom?	Yes, I should.	No, I shouldn't.

What should I…? Wh- questions

Wh- questions follow the order question word + should + subject + verb: Where should we go this summer? What time should we meet? The subject comes after should, so What I should wear? is wrong.

What should I tell my boss?
Where should we go this summer?
When should I take the medicine?
What time should we meet?
How should I pay: cash or card?

I think you should… and I don't think you should…

I think you should… gives advice as your opinion: I think you should call her. For a bad idea, say I don't think you should buy that car. I think you shouldn't… is right too. To ask for an opinion: Do you think I should cut my hair?

Giving advice

A good idea ✔

You should … · I think you should …
You look tired. You should rest.
I think you should call her.

A bad idea ✘

You shouldn't … · I don't think you should …
You shouldn't stay up so late.
I don't think you should buy that car.

Examples

You have a cold. You should stay at home.advice: a good idea
You shouldn't eat so much sugar.advice: a bad idea
Should I take an umbrella? Yes, you should.question and short answer
Where should we go on vacation?wh- question
I think you should talk to your teacher.I think…
Do you think I should cut my hair?asking for an opinion

Common mistakes: no -s, no to, no do

Typical slips are You should to see a doctor, Do I should bring a gift?, You don't should worry and the reply Yes, you do. Questions, negatives and short answers use should, not do: Should I call him? – Yes, you should.

Common mistakes

You should to see a doctor.
You should see a doctor.
should + verb, no to
He shoulds eat more fruit.
He should eat more fruit.
should is the same for every person
Do I should bring a gift?
Should I bring a gift?
questions: Should + subject + verb
What I should wear?
What should I wear?
question word + should + subject

No -s, no to, no do

No -s, no to: She should go. (Not: She shoulds go. She should goes. She should to go.) No do: Should I call him? You shouldn't worry. (Not: Do I should…? You don't should…) Short answers: Yes, you should. No, you shouldn't. (Not: Yes, you do.) I don't think you should and I think you shouldn't are both right.

More lessons on this grammar: Modal verbs lessons and exercises

Try the should and shouldn't exercises

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What's in the lesson

40 auto-checked exercises
5 games
1 real-life document
1 grammar scheme
1 picture

The main objectives of this lesson are to:

give advice with should or shouldn't + verb: You look tired. You should go to bed early. Max shouldn't play video games all day.
keep should free of -s, to and do: He should eat more fruit, not He shoulds eat, You should to see a doctor or Do I should…?
ask for advice and answer briefly: Should I bring them a gift? – Yes, you should. Should I tip in restaurants? – No, you shouldn't.
put wh- questions in the right order: What should I wear to the party? Which bus should I take?, not What I should wear?
give an opinion: I think you should cook for her one night. I don't think you should drive downtown.

Grammar:: should · shouldn't · Should I…? · I think you should…
Topic:: grammar practice · advice · travel · Japan

Teaching tips

Pass problems around the room: each student writes a small problem on a card (I can't sleep at night), passes it on, and the next student adds one piece of advice with should or shouldn't.
Write your own advice column: after Ask Kiyomi, pairs write a short letter asking What should I do? about a trip, swap letters with another pair and answer with three tips.
Fire quick questions at the class: ask Should I take an umbrella? or Should we order pizza? and students answer only Yes, you should or No, you shouldn't, never Yes, you do.

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The whole course: English Grammar Practice · A2

English Grammar Practice · A2 has 28 drill lessons, one grammar point each: the past simple and continuous, used to, comparatives, going to and will, the present perfect, modals, the zero and first conditionals and questions. Each has the rule as a scheme, 43 to 47 exercises that check themselves, 15 of them for homework, and no new words.See the course

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