The past tense of "should"

Question

Hello,I am learning english and I am really confused with modal verbs. In several pages they conjugate the verb should and shall but if there is not past with shall like should how can in explanations said there is it. PLEASE!! HELP us!!!! https://conjugator.reverso.net/conjugation-english-verb-should.html this is one.

AlpheccaStars · Accepted Answer

That page is not appropriate for modal verbs. These verbs (would, should, can, may, will, must, might) are degenerate, which means they are not conjugated as are lexical verbs.

This site is not programmed to recognize these exceptions on the "conjugation" page. You can even put in the noun "boy" or "woman" and it comes up with a verb conjugation, but it is pure nonsense. Neither one is a verb.

https://conjugator.reverso.net/conjugation-english-verb-boy.html

https://conjugator.reverso.net/conjugation-english-verb-woman.html

Here is a better resource for modal verbs. https://dictionary.cambridge.org/grammar/british-grammar/modality-forms#modality-forms__3

Core modal verbs have only one form. They have no to-infinitive form, -ing form, past form or -ed form.

CalifJim · Answer

navy mango 199
Hello,

I am learning english and I am really confused with modal verbs. In several pages they conjugate the verb should and shall but if there is not past with shall like should how can in explanations said there is it. PLEASE!! HELP us!!!! https://conjugator.reverso.net/conjugation-english-verb-should.html this is one.

No, no, no! That website is useless for modal verbs. It is totally unreliable! You cannot conjugate a modal verb.

should is used either

1) to give advice by imposing a mild obligation on the listener (You should see that movie. It's really funny)

or 2) to show expectation (The answer should be on page 12 ~ We expect the answer to be on page 12).

It has no past, but should have can be used in either of those two meanings to express a counterfactual situation in the past.

1) You should have seen that movie. It was really funny.
(You didn't see that movie. The speaker is showing disappointment and giving a mild reprimand.)

2) The answer should have been on page 12.
(The answer was not on page 12, as was expected. The speaker is showing some surprise and perhaps frustration that the answer was not found where it was expected to be.)

CJ

The past tense of "should"

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