Should have
In this programme we examine should have - a way of talking about regrettable past actions.
Silvia Malkun from Colombia gets to grips with this grammar... and she explains to William why his wife is so angry with him!
Listen to the programme!
When we want to talk about mistakes we made in the past, we can use 'should have' with a past participle.Positive and Negative: subject | should have / shouldn't have | past participle | |
Matt
| should have
| worn
| a clean shirt. |
He | shouldn't have | been | late. |
Question form: should / shouldn't | subject | have | past participle | |
Should
| Matt
| have
| worn | a clean shirt? |
Shouldn't | he | have | arrived | early? |
Download Catherine's grammar explanation and table (pdf - 54 K)
Download this programme (mp3 - 1.8 MB)
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Now it's your turn to practise the should have. Go to our quiz page on this subject here.
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Catherine and William |
Learn It: 'Should have' and 'must have'
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