Should ... (Step 2) - English lesson

As we have already seen studying the first part of  ‘should’  test: it mainly expresses an idea of constraint, and especially of limitation of the subject's freedom. It has the same value as the subjunctive, especially in the United Kingdom. It expresses a suggested action, or an  imposed or prevented one , an action  which looks very unlikely, or is criticised … 

It is used to express :  

1) An aim, a purpose :  so that / in order that                

ex: She fastened her kid's seat belt so that he should travel safely.

2) An idea of fear  : in case / for fear that /  lest ...

ex: The mother held her daughter's hand, in case she should cross out of the traffic lights.

3) A very unlikely hypothesis : if / suppose and, in a former style after inverting the subject and the verb. 

ex : If anyone should call / should anyone call, I wont be available before 10. Sorry !

4) A suggestion/ an order : To suggest / to order/ to insist / to request

ex : I suggest he should keep quiet during the lecture.

5) Many impersonal expressions : 

- It’s necessary / important / essential / it’s a pity / extraordinary / unlikely / likely / incredible / I don’t see why / there’s no reason why / I’m surprised that.  

- and after adjectives expressing an emotional reaction in front of a situation :

ex : delightful / shocked / furious / normal / abnormal / wrong.

ex : He's shocked that you shouldn't comply with his request immediately.

In conversation, and in  standard spoken English, the infinitive proposition is preferred: 

ex : It's important for him to be at his best for the show.   

BEWARE ! As it was mentioned at one moment of this lesson, this 'should form' (which is required in European exams) is mostly British. In American English, it is most of the time, replaced by the 'subjunctive' (which is now starting to reappear in the United Kingdom).

It's formed simply, using  :  I suggest + subject + verb  or  in case + subject + verb

As you may imagine, this construction is often built wrongly, especially in the third person singular where the verb MUST NOT HAVE an -S since it's NOT in the simple present!

ex : I suggest he go without me ! ; It's necessary that she do the work immediately  ; I'm coming with you in case she forget ('forgot' = modal preterite indicating what is unreal, or just imagined) the appointment !  

Now, it's your turn ! have a good test !

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Sara's memo to the troup :
'When acting for the theatre, you should forgetnever should forgetshould never forgetI don't know that you're playing ! It's important that should you takeyou should takeyou shouldn't takeI don't know pleasure in what you're doing on stage ...
When improvising, follow your partner's suggestions, it's necessary that should you refuseyou shouldn't refuseyou should refuseI don't know where he or she wants to take you!
Be flexible! I suggest you should keepyou shouldn't keepshould you keepI don't know an open mind to seize any suggested idea and develop! When on stage, don't be disturbed if a spectator should laugh and not giggleshould laugh or giggleshouldn't laugh or giggleI don't know when you expected otherwise ...
Don't be troubled either in case your co-actors shouldn't respondyour co-actor should respondshouldn't your co-actor respond notI don't know the way you expected ... It's essential you shouldn't let goyou should let goshould you let goI don't know and follow the line you were given! The theatre is life - but not routine life! You shouldn't forgetYou should forgetShould you forgetI don't know the words of your text, stick to the idea and there's no reason why you shouldn't findyou should findshould you findI don't know your right cue, not to lose your partner! I don't see why should you stammeryou shouldn't stammeryou should stammerI don't know and panic! Eventually, even if you change your lines a little, it's very unlikely that the spectators shouldn't noticeshould noticenot should noticeI don't know it! They shouldShould theyThey shouldn'tI don't know, it doesn't matter! Yet, I insist that should you haveyou should haveyou shouldn't haveI don't know fun and let go your emotions ... I really don't see why the audience should you believeshould believeshouldn't believeI don't know in your character, and as long as you do, they will! Go for it, guys ! '