Should and Shouldn’t

What you’ll learn

Give advice or a suggestion with should and shouldn’t.

ផ្តល់យោបល់ ឬការណែនាំដោយប្រើ should និង shouldn’t។

Meaning and use

Should often gives advice or suggests a good action. It is usually less forceful than a rule expressed with must. Use should with the base form of a verb and keep the same form with every subject. Should not contracts to shouldn’t. Questions put should before the subject. This lesson focuses on advice; should can have other meanings, such as expectation, in later study.

Should ជាញឹកញាប់ប្រើសម្រាប់ផ្តល់យោបល់ ឬណែនាំសកម្មភាពល្អមួយ។ វាជាទូទៅទន់ភ្លន់ជាងច្បាប់ដែលប្រើ must។ ប្រើ should ជាមួយកិរិយាសព្ទទម្រង់ដើម ហើយទម្រង់នេះដូចគ្នាសម្រាប់ប្រធានទាំងអស់។ Should not អាចកាត់ជា shouldn’t។

Grammar patterns

Pattern	Example or form
Advice	You should practice every day.
Negative advice	You shouldn’t rush.
Question	Should I read this book?
Short answer	Yes, you should. / No, you shouldn’t.

Examples

1. You should check your spelling.

   អ្នកគួរពិនិត្យការប្រកបពាក្យរបស់អ្នក។

2. We should leave early.

   យើងគួរចេញដំណើរមុនម៉ោង។

3. She shouldn’t rush her work.

   នាងមិនគួរប្រញាប់ធ្វើការងាររបស់នាងពេកទេ។

4. Should I ask the teacher?

   តើខ្ញុំគួរសួរគ្រូទេ?

Everyday conversation

Maly: I don’t understand this word.

Dara: You should check a dictionary.

Maly: Should I write an example too?

Dara: Yes, you should.

Common mistakes

Instead of	Use	Why
She should studies more.	She should study more.	Use the base verb study after should.
Do I should ask the teacher?	Should I ask the teacher?	Make this modal question by moving should, without do.

Practice

Try these questions before opening the answers. Write or say each answer.

សាកល្បងឆ្លើយសំណួរទាំងនេះជាមុនសិន មុននឹងបើកមើលចម្លើយ។ អ្នកអាចសរសេរ ឬនិយាយចម្លើយរបស់អ្នក។

1. Complete: You should ___ the question carefully. (read)
2. Make negative advice: You should rush.
3. Make a question: I should ask the teacher.
4. Choose the usual purpose here: You should check your spelling. (advice / a past event)

Answers and explanations

Show answers / បង្ហាញចម្លើយ

1. read

   A base verb follows should.

2. You shouldn’t rush.

   Use shouldn’t + base verb.

3. Should I ask the teacher?

   Move should before I.

4. advice

   Should recommends an action in this sentence.

Quick recap

• Should commonly gives advice.
• Use should/shouldn’t + base verb with every subject.
• Questions use Should + subject, without do.