当你想告诉别人什么是个好主意,或者想问问什么才是个好主意时,英语会用上一个小词:should。You should rest. You shouldn't worry. Should I call her?

最方便的是,should 用起来非常简单。它是情态动词,所以形式永远不变,后面的动词总是用原形(base form)——不加 to,不加 -s,也不加 -ed。

快速提示:提建议时,should + 动词原形表示“建议这样做”,shouldn't + 动词原形表示“不建议这样做”。

(should 还有别的用法,比如表示预期——The bus should arrive soon——但本课只讲建议。)

怎么构成

should 放在主语和后面的动词之间,后面的动词保持原形:

形式 例句
肯定 主语 + should + 原形 You should see a doctor.
否定 主语 + shouldn't + 原形 You shouldn't eat so late.
疑问 Should + 主语 + 原形? Should I take a coat?

无论主语是谁,形式都完全一样——I, you, he, she, we, they 都用 should:

  • I should go. · She should go. · They should go.

因为 should 是情态动词,后面的动词要保持原形,不能加任何词尾:

  • ✅ He should call her,不能说 ❌ He should calls her。
  • ✅ You should rest,不能说 ❌ You should to rest。

Shouldn't 只是 should not 的缩写形式。两者都正确;口语中 shouldn't 更自然。

汉语里提建议常说“你应该看医生”,“应该”后面直接跟动词,动词本身不变形。英语的 should 也很接近:后面接动词原形,但不能加 to、-s 或 -ed(❌ You should to see a doctor)。

提建议

用 should 表示“建议这样做”,用 shouldn't 表示“不建议这样做”:

  • You look tired. You should go to bed.
  • You shouldn't drink coffee in the evening.
  • We should book the tickets early.
  • He shouldn't worry so much.

为了让建议更委婉、更带个人色彩,英语母语者常以 I think you should… 或 I don't think you should… 开头:

  • I think you should talk to her.
  • I don't think you should buy it.(注意:通常把 think 变成否定,而不是 should:✅ I don't think you should go 比 I think you shouldn't go 更自然。)

征求建议

把 should 放到主语前面,就变成了疑问句。这就是征求别人意见或建议的方式:

  • Should I wear a jacket?
  • Should we tell him the truth?
  • What should I do?
  • Where should we go on holiday?

简短回答会再次用到 should:

  • Should I call her? — Yes, you should. / No, you shouldn't.

关于 ought to 的一点说明

你可能会在建议里听到 ought to:You ought to see a doctor. 它和 should 意思几乎相同,但在主要动词前保留了 to。它的疑问和否定形式较少见、也更正式,所以日常英语里 should 最实用——现阶段只要在遇到 ought to 时认得它就够了。

要谈论什么是必须而非建议,请看 have to / must(义务与规则);要礼貌地请求许可,请看 requests & permission,用 can、could 和 may。

常见错误

  • ❌ You should to rest. → ✅ You should rest.(should 后不加 to)
  • ❌ She should goes home. → ✅ She should go home.(用原形,不加 -s)
  • ❌ Should I to bring food? → ✅ Should I bring food?(疑问句里也不加 to)
  • ❌ You don't should worry. → ✅ You shouldn't worry.(否定用 shouldn't,不用 don't)
  • ❌ Do I should call him? → ✅ Should I call him?(情态动词自己构成疑问——不用 do)

快速检测

用 should、shouldn't 或正确的疑问形式填空:

  1. You have a headache. You ____ (get) some rest.
  2. It's raining. ____ I ____ (bring) an umbrella?
  3. He ate too much. He ____ (not / eat) so fast.
  4. I don't know what to do. What ____ I ____ (do)?
显示答案
  1. should get some rest   2. Should I bring   3. shouldn't eat   4. should … do

要点

  • Should 用来提建议(“建议这样做”);shouldn't 用来劝阻(“不建议这样做”)。
  • 它是情态动词:对所有主语都一样,后面的动词总是原形——不加 to、-s 或 -ed。
  • 把 should 放在主语前面就能提问:Should I…?——回答用 Yes, you should / No, you shouldn't。
  • 想让建议更委婉,用 I think you should… / I don't think you should…。
  • ought to 意思几乎相同,但保留 to;should 才是日常英语里的首选。