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:
- You have a headache. You ____ (get) some rest.
- It's raining. ____ I ____ (bring) an umbrella?
- He ate too much. He ____ (not / eat) so fast.
- I don't know what to do. What ____ I ____ (do)?
显示答案
- 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。