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Learn Business English grammar with us! Today, we're focusing on should have.
We use should have + V3 to talk about something that was a good idea in the past, but it didn’t actually happen. It shows regret about the past.
I should have studied for the test.
We should have prepared a detailed presentation for the client.
The team should have conducted more research.
I should have emailed the client yesterday to confirm the meeting.
We use shouldn’t have + V3 to talk about something that was not a good idea in the past, but did happen. It shows regret or criticism about the past.
I shouldn’t have ignored the warning signs in the sales report.
The manager shouldn’t have assigned such a tight deadline.
They shouldn’t have shouted at the meeting.
I shouldn’t have sent the email without proofreading it.
Business English Grammar should (not) have V3 - Quick Quiz
Type the correct form of the verb in brackets, and listen to the sentence.
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Let's Chat!
What's something you should have done differently in the past?
I should have started saving money earlier. I didn’t think about it much when I was younger, but now I realize how helpful it would’ve been. (Martina, lives in the U.S.)
What's something you shouldn't have agreed to?
I shouldn’t have lent my friend money without talking about when they’d pay it back. I trusted them, but it took waaaay longer than I expected, and it got kind of awkward. I should’ve just been clear about it from the start. (Lori, a native speaker based in the U.S.)
Can you think of a time when you shouldn't have taken the risk?
Yes, I invested in a project without doing proper research, and it didn’t work out. Looking back, I shouldn’t have taken the risk without knowing all the details first. If I hadn’t done that, I would have saved a lot of money and avoided so much stress! (J., B2 level learner)
