should
used to say what is right, expected, or advisable
How often you will meet it
Rank 92 of 71,295 words measured. It occurs 272,320 times across 173,643 chapters — 0.129% of every word in the library.
It belongs to the first 100 words, the band worth learning before any other.
What it means
modal verb
- used to say what is right, expected, or advisable
should in real books
Each sentence below was written by a published author and is taken from a different book in our library. Open one to read the passage it came from, with narration.
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Indeed, I should be sorry to look like him.
The Picture of Dorian Gray · Oscar Wilde · Chapter 1
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Of course not, because each separate case should decide itself.
Christian's Mistake · Dinah Maria Mulock Craik · Chapter 1
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To any other man I should have had more to say.
The Betrayal · E. Phillips (Edward Phillips) Oppenheim · Chapter 1
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It seemed to him it would help if that should happen today.
The Courage of the Commonplace · Mary Raymond Shipman Andrews · Chapter 1
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The director should make every effort to guard against stage waits and delays of every sort.
The White Christmas and other Merry · Walter Ben Hare · Chapter 1