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Shall is never used in modern English in the second person.
It is used in the third person only for legal or formal undertakings and guarantees.
Legal English:
- The tenant shall hereafter be held responsible for all repairs.
Shall is always used in the first person singular and plural in the interrogative:
Offering (Mainly British English):
- Shall we dance?
- Shall I buy you lunch on the way back?
Making suggestion which is advisable to do/not to do (advisability):
- You should really see that film. It's awesome!
- You shouldn't buy that. It is too expensive!
Polite request with First Conditional (see Grammar: Zero and First Conditionals (Add-ons) for more details):
- I should be grateful if you would send me your budget estimate as soon as possible.
Asking for suggestion:
- Should I buy one more jacket?
Prediction that is expected to happen:
- It should be a fine day tomorrow! We should be able to play football.
Used as a Second Conditional ( see Grammar: Second Conditional for more details):
- Should you have any inquiries, please call the hotline.
- Should he arrive after supper, please show him to his room.
- If she should /were to leave Paul, I would bet it is because of Keith.
As a subjunctive (See Grammar: Subjunctive Mood for more details):
- I suggest the chairman be/should be asked to resign.
- I propose this case be/should be dealt with at once.
Modal Perfect:
You should have done. / You shouldn't have done.
I should have done. / I shouldn't have done.
Past actions & Impossible to change & Regret:
- I should have read the signs. Now she is so mad at me.
- I shouldn't have spoken so rudely to her.
Past actions & Impossible to change:
Keith: You should've been more careful when handling that cup. Now it is broken.
Michael: Well, you shouldn't have kept those words to yourself till I broke it.
Deserved an action in the past, but was not carried out (usually with passive voice):
- She should have been awarded the Oscar Award ages time ago. (passive voice)
- He should have been given the chance to explain himself. (passive voice)
Homework:
Try to explain the meanings of the following sentences in details, you can make your predictions as you wish:
(Leave comments for me to check)
- "Should've seen it coming, should've read the signs, anyway, I guess it's over." -- Westlife, Fool Again.
- You really shouldn't have shouted at that dog.
- Shall we?
- Should he call, please let me know.
- You should listen to your mum.
- I should have given my client a call first. He's not in his office now.
- He should have been in jail.
Resources:
http://lockyep.blogspot.com/2010/03/usage-modals-anatomy-part-2-will-would.html
http://lockyep.blogspot.com/2010/03/books-movie-drama-sherlock-holmes-vs.html
http://lockyep.blogspot.com/2009/09/grammar-zero-and-first-conditionals-add.html
http://lockyep.blogspot.com/2009/09/grammar-second-conditional.html
http://lockyep.blogspot.com/2009/06/grammar-subjunctive-mood.html
A Proficiency Course in English -- F.V.Bywater
Practical English Usage Third Ed. -- Michael Swan
Hi Locky,
ReplyDelete1. I didn't see it comes and didn't read the signs, but it was too late as it was over.
2. As you shouted at that dog, you were hurt by it.
3. Do you accept my offer ?
4. I feel that the possibility of calling from him is smaller.
5. You are advised to listen to your mum.
6. Because I didn't call my client first, I missed the chance to sell the product as he had left the office.
7. Because of his violence behaviour to his new born baby, he should be sentenced to prison, however, he was judged not guilty.
Looking forward to your comments !!
Collie
Hi! Locky,
ReplyDeletePlease see my comments below:
1) Regret that I was a fool again as I hadn't seen it coming and read the signs before. But it was too late to know and impossible to change the happening.
2) Regret to your past actions of shouting at that dog. Now,you've gotten the act of responding.
3) Giving suggestion/offering as the long form of the sentence should be: Let us....., shall we?
4) Giving advice if he call, please let me know.
5) Making suggestion and you are advisable to listen to your mum.
6) Showing regret that I haven't given my client a call first.Now, I've wasted my time for going there.
7) He deserved punishment and should be jailed, but he hadn't put in prison.
Locky, please comment my above answers.
ReplyDeleteBest regards,
Mei
Hello Locky,
ReplyDeletePlease comment.
1. I regret that i didn't see it coming and didn't read the signs. I think now it's impossible to change the situation as it's too late.
2. I shouted at that dog that making something bad so you blame me that i shouldn't shout at the dog.
3. Asking some people to accept my/our offering.
4. He may call but you don't know when, so you please someone telling you when receiving his calling.
5. Someone suggest you listen to your mum as it is good for you.
6. I regret that i didn't give my client a call first. Now i can't contact him as he's not in his office.
7. He's not in jail although he should be in jail for punishment for his bad behavior.
Thank you.
Sharon
Hi Locky,
ReplyDelete1) didn't know it happened and didn't detect it, now it's too late for change it as it's over.
2) I was advised that I shouted at that dog, so it was angry and bit me.
3) Invite/ask someone to accept my offering.
4) Expected he will call me but I don't know what time.
5) I was advised that I need to listen to my mum what she says.
6) I missed the meeting with my client because I didn't give him a call before I came to his office.
7) He's no to be sent to prison although he has done a lot of illegal things.
Look forward to receiving your comments.
Thank you so much.
Celia
Okay, time to check answers:
ReplyDeleteKeys: E --> Elaboration needed
X --> Wrong answer
? --> unsure
Collie 1E, 2 , 3 , 4E, 5 , 6 , 7
Mei 1 , 2?, 3 , 4X, 5 , 6 , 7
Sharon 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 , 6 , 7
Celia 1X, 2X, 3 , 4X, 5X, 6 , 7
Question 1:
Collie, you need to rephrase it better as I can't see whether you really understood it or not.
Celia, you do know that it happened.
Question 2:
Mei, you need to say what the response was.
Celia, you are definitely not advised to shout at the dog.
I will go for Collie and Sharon's because they gave me possibilities of the situation.
This is definitely a blame, but why was shouting at the dog a bad thing to do?
Question 3:
No difficulties for this one, but what situation will people say this?
Question 4:
Collie, possibility is low, so?
Mei, this is not advice.
Celia, his calling was not expected.
Question 5:
Celia, you were wrong because of using past tense. Use "I am advised" instead.
Question 6:
Collie and Sharon made good prediction. Mei and Celia had my model answer.
Question 7:
All correct, well done!
Locky's answers:
1) I didn't notice the problem was going to appear, that it would cause our break-up, I didn't see the clues that it would happen. Whatever it is, I suppose our relationship has come to an end.
2) a) Because you shouted at the dog, now the dog took revenge on us/you.
b) That was such a poor doggy, yet you shouted at him, do you have any love for animals?
3) I'm inviting you for a dance with me. Would you accept my invitation?
4) I know the chance of his calling in is slim, but just in case he called, let me know.
5) Your mum's wiser than you. You ought to take her advise. / Pay attention to what your mum is saying.
6) Because I didn't call my client before heading to find him, now he is not in the office.
7) He deserves to be in jail, but too bad he isn't.
Forgot to mention, Sharon's got perfect this time round! Well done!
ReplyDeleteKeep it up, ladies!!!
Thank you Locky!
ReplyDeleteThank you Locky!
ReplyDeleteWelcome.
ReplyDelete