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Mexico flagYouali
I don´t know what´s the correct use of "should" in a question. Could you help me? When I say "I should go?" is it correct? or it should be "should I go?" or "shal I go?". I think my problem it´s about syntax, isn´t it? I want to write natural but also proper.

Answers · 14

3
Hi, Youali! Laureli answered the question perfectly. I just want to add that we often don't use "I should go" as a question unless we're questioning someone's suggestion. For example: Person A: "If your house is on fire, what should you do?" Person B: "I should go?" Person A: "Exactly! You should leave your house!" I hope my answer helps =)
2
While you can certainly use "I should go?" as a question, more often I hear it as a statement. If you are asking somebody if you should leave, using "Should I go" sounds a little more natural. "Shall I go?" is somewhat more formal.
1
Hi Youali, You presented three interrogative sentences: A: I should go? B: Should I go? C: Shall I go? When we present a question, it is a convention to start with the verb before the subject. For example: May (verb) I (pronoun/subject) be excused? (Correct) VS I (pronoun/subject) may (verb) be excused? (Incorrect). Such a concept is known as "inversion", and is also commonly used in other situations such as reporting someone's speech. For example: Mary asked, "Should (verb) we (pronoun) proceed with the discussion?" (Direct speech) [Sentence B follows the positions of the verb and pronoun in the direct speech, as it is a question directly from you.] Mary asked if/whether they (pronoun) should (verb) proceed with the discussion. (Reported speech) [Notice that the positions of the pronoun and verb are swapped.] In view of this, sentence A is grammatically wrong while sentence B is grammatically sound. Sentence A can still be grammatically sound if it is a declarative statement: "I should go." In this case, you are making a decision on your own to leave. In sentence C, you are asking about the possibility of going somewhere in the future. Hope this helps. Cheers, Lance
0
If you are asking you friend for a pieces of advice use : Should I go ?

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