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Should have and shouldn't have

Presentation / Objective

In this topic, you are practising the structure should have and shouldn’t have. This grammatical tool is used to demonstrate regret, empathy or reflection about situations that happened in the past.

Remember, the more you practice, the more you learn.

Objective

By the end of this topic, you will:
• Correctly use should have and shouldn’t have to show empathy, reflection and regret about situations occurred.

Content

The structure should have and shouldn’t have used to reflect, show empathy or regret. Look at the examples:

Fact

 

Reflection, empathy or regret

Robert is sleepy, and he has to study to take an exam tomorrow

Boy studying and bored

Geralt (2014). Surreal. Retrieved 11/10/16 from https://pixabay.com/en/surreal-dream-face-woman-dreams-483012/

He should have gone to bed early instead of playing video games with his friends.

John is sad as he failed an exam, as a result of that he has to take a course during the vacation to pass the subject and finish the semester

Boy writing in a notebook

Freepik (2015). Ilustración Estudiante. Retrieved 15/12/16 from http://www.freepik.es/vector-gratis/ilustracion-estudiante_795232.htm#term=study

He shouldn’t have hung around with his friends every day instead of studying.

Peter and Sarah don’t have money to go on vacation; they are compulsive buyers and frequently face money problems.

Man looking for savings

Freepik (2015). Concepto de hombre de negocios sin dinero. Retrieved 15/12/16 from http://www.freepik.es/vector-gratis/concepto-de-hombre-de-negocios-sin-dinero_765206.htm#term=no money

They should have saved money by avoiding going shopping too frequently.

Rachel and I haven’t been promoted for the last five years because we were not interested in the company training programs.

People working

Freepik (2015). Situaciones de trabajo en un estilo plano. Retrieved 15/12/16 from http://www.freepik.es/vector-gratis/situaciones-de-trabajo-en-un-estilo-plano_832236.htm

We shouldn’t have rejected the training the company offered to be given a promotion.

Notice the structure:

Subject

+

SHOULD / SHOULDN'T HAVE

+

main verb in past participle

Reading

Activity 1

Something Different in my Life

Through the reading of this text, you will identify the use of the structure should have and shouldn’t have.

Instructions:
Read the text “Something different in my life”, write down all the words you don’t understand and look them up in an English-English dictionary (Cambridge Dictionary, Longman Dictionary, Macmillan Dictionary)

Exercise

When to use should/ shouldn’t have?

 

Practice: Should have and shouldn’t have

Listen to the grammar audio on using should have and shouldn’t have adequately.


Grammar information


Now read the following situations and put the words to give a coherent response.

Listening

Activity 2

Loving Breakup

Here, you will hear a dialogue with the use of the structure should have and shouldn’t have.

Instructions:
1. Listen to the dialogue
2. Listen to the conversation again and answer.

Writing

Activity 3

Describing a different Past

Now you are asked to write a text using the structures should have and shouldn’t have to show empathy, regret or reflection about situations that happened in the past.

 

Instructions:
Read the text Something different in my life and write a similar composition selecting one of the following possibilities:
a) Regrets about Something that should have been done differently.
b) Reflections about Something that should have happened differently.
c) Empathy for Something that should have occurred in any other way.

Support your ideas using 200 words.

 

Speaking

Activity 4

Some problems to solve

This oral production activity is intended for you to use the structures should have and shouldn’t have to show empathy, regret or reflection about situations that happened in the past.

 

Instructions:
1. Listen to the dialogue and pay your undivided attention to identify the structure should have and shouldn’t have.
2. Record a similar conversation using one of the following situations:

a. I didn’t obey my parents, and now I can’t go out for a whole week! Do you see what a pickle I am in?
b. I didn’t study, so I failed my Mathematics exam.
c. I didn’t hand out homework all the semester; consequently, I have to take the final exam.
d. I arrived home after midnight, so my parents are now distraught.
e. I ate so much last weekend; consequently, I have an upset stomach.
f. I spent my allowance in a week; therefore, I have no money for the rest of this month.


Before recording yourself, study the aspects that will be evaluated, they are described in the following rubric.

Once you are ready, you will record your audio.


Example:

 

Self-assessment

Self-assessment. Part 1

When regretting, reflecting or empathizing about past situations

Now you will practice and reinforce the use of should have and shouldn’t have in real situations in the past.

 

 

Self-assessment. Part 2

When regretting, reflecting or empathizing about past situations

 

References

Basic references

Kay, S. y Jones, V. (2014). New American Inside Out Upper Intermediate. USA: MaCMillan. [6th ed]
Richards, J. (2005). Interchange Three. United Kingdom: Cambridge University Press. [3rd ed]