{"id":273037,"date":"2026-07-30T03:00:10","date_gmt":"2026-07-30T08:00:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/langcom.org\/?p=273037"},"modified":"2026-07-30T03:00:10","modified_gmt":"2026-07-30T08:00:10","slug":"should-shouldnt-advice-a2-a2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/langcom.com.ar\/pt\/blog\/should-shouldnt-advice-a2-a2\/","title":{"rendered":"Learn Should and Shouldn’t: Giving Advice in English (A2 Grammar)"},"content":{"rendered":"
Should<\/span> and shouldn’t<\/span> are modal verbs we use to give advice or make recommendations.<\/strong> They tell us what is a good idea to do, or what is not a good idea to do. Think of them as suggesting the best action for a situation. For example, if your friend has a test tomorrow, you might say, You should study for the exam<\/span>. This means it’s a good recommendation. If something is not a good idea, we use shouldn’t<\/span>, like in You shouldn’t eat too much sugar<\/span>. This suggests it’s bad for your health. The grammatical structure is always simple: subject + should\/shouldn’t + base form of the verb<\/span>. These verbs are very common for everyday advice, health tips, or general suggestions, helping you communicate clearly and naturally in English.<\/div>\n

What do ‘should’ and ‘shouldn’t’ mean?<\/h2>\n

We use should<\/span> to say that something is a good idea. It means ‘it is recommended’ or ‘it is a good thing to do’.<\/p>\n

    \n
  • You should drink water.<\/span> (It’s a good idea.)<\/li>\n
  • He should rest.<\/span> (It’s recommended for him.)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

    We use shouldn’t<\/span> (should not) to say that something is not a good idea. It means ‘it is not recommended’ or ‘it is a bad thing to do’.<\/p>\n

      \n
    • You shouldn’t watch too much TV.<\/span> (It’s not a good idea.)<\/li>\n
    • She shouldn’t work so hard.<\/span> (It’s not recommended for her.)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

      [langcom_cta variant=”blended”]<\/p>\n

      How do we form sentences with ‘should’ and ‘shouldn’t’?<\/h2>\n

      The structure for should<\/span> and shouldn’t<\/span> is very simple. We use them with the base form of the verb (infinitive without ‘to’).<\/p>\n

        \n
      • Positive sentences:<\/strong> Subject + should + base verb<\/span><\/li>\n
      • Negative sentences:<\/strong> Subject + shouldn’t + base verb<\/span><\/li>\n
      • Questions:<\/strong> Should + subject + base verb?<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

        The form of should<\/span> does not change for different subjects (I, you, he, she, it, we, they). This makes it easy to use!<\/p>\n

        When do we use ‘should’?<\/h2>\n

        We use should<\/span> for many situations where we want to give advice or make suggestions.<\/p>\n

          \n
        • Giving advice:<\/strong> When you tell someone what is a good thing to do.<\/li>\n
        • You should go to bed early tonight.<\/span><\/li>\n
        • They should eat more vegetables.<\/span><\/li>\n
        • Making recommendations:<\/strong> When you suggest something good.<\/li>\n
        • We should visit the museum. It’s very interesting.<\/span><\/li>\n
        • You should try this new restaurant.<\/span><\/li>\n
        • Expressing opinion or expectation:<\/strong> When you think something is true or will happen.<\/li>\n
        • He should be here soon.<\/span> (I expect him to arrive.)<\/li>\n
        • The movie should be good.<\/span> (I think it will be good.)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

          When do we use ‘shouldn’t’?<\/h2>\n

          We use shouldn’t<\/span> when we want to advise against something or suggest that something is not a good idea.<\/p>\n

            \n
          • Giving negative advice:<\/strong> When you tell someone what is not a good thing to do.<\/li>\n
          • You shouldn’t worry so much.<\/span><\/li>\n
          • He shouldn’t spend all his money.<\/span><\/li>\n
          • Suggesting something is wrong or inappropriate:<\/strong><\/li>\n
          • Children shouldn’t play with fire.<\/span><\/li>\n
          • You shouldn’t talk during the movie.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

            How do we ask questions with ‘should’?<\/h2>\n

            To ask a question, we put should<\/span> before the subject.<\/p>\n

              \n
            • Yes\/No Questions:<\/strong> Should + subject + base verb?<\/span><\/li>\n
            • Should I call him?<\/span><\/li>\n
            • Should we leave now?<\/span><\/li>\n
            • Wh- Questions:<\/strong> Wh- word + should + subject + base verb?<\/span><\/li>\n
            • What should I do?<\/span><\/li>\n
            • Where should we meet?<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
              Comparing 'Should' with 'Must' and 'Have to'<\/caption>\n
              Modal Verb<\/th>\nMeaning<\/th>\nExample<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n
              Should<\/span><\/td>\nAdvice, recommendation (good idea)<\/span><\/td>\nYou should rest.<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
              Must<\/span><\/td>\nStrong obligation, necessity (very important, no choice)<\/span><\/td>\nYou must wear a seatbelt.<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
              Have to<\/span><\/td>\nExternal obligation, necessity (rule, law)<\/span><\/td>\nI have to work tomorrow.<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

              Examples<\/h2>\n
                \n
              • You look tired. You should take a break.<\/span><\/li>\n
              • It’s raining. You shouldn’t forget your umbrella.<\/span><\/li>\n
              • She has a test tomorrow. She should study.<\/span><\/li>\n
              • He shouldn’t eat so many sweets. It’s bad for his teeth.<\/span><\/li>\n
              • Should I wear a jacket? It’s cold outside.<\/span><\/li>\n
              • What should we do this weekend?<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

                Practice<\/h2>\n