Would is the past tense form of will in indirect speech. We use should to express ideas such as obligation, necessity etc. Should is also used to make suggestions and to give advice.
Fill in the blanks with would or should.
1I am feeling tired. I ............... go to bed.
Wrong!
Use "should" to give advice about what is a good idea.
2He said that he ............... be working late.
Wrong!
Use "would" in reported speech for future-in-the-past.
3You ............... not ignore symptoms like these.
Wrong!
Use "should" to say that ignoring the symptoms is not a good idea.
4I think you ............... try again.
Wrong!
Use "should" after "I think" to give advice.
5She said that she ............... make another attempt.
Wrong!
Use "would" in reported speech for a future action seen from the past.
6The government ............... do something for poor and needy people.
Wrong!
Use "should" to talk about what is right or necessary.
7"............... we invite Sally to the party?"
Wrong!
Use "Should" to ask for advice or a suggestion.
8"I ............... rather you didn't invite her."
Wrong!
Use "would" in the fixed preference expression "would rather".
9You ............... not waste so much money on gadgets.
Wrong!
Use "should" to give advice about not wasting money.
10............... we wait for him?
Wrong!
Use "Should" to ask whether waiting is a good idea.
11When he grew old, he ............... spend the whole day in bed.
Wrong!
Use "would" to describe a repeated habit in the past.
12I don't think that you ............... trust him.
Wrong!
Use "should" after "I don't think" to give advice.
Answers
- I am feeling tired. I should go to bed.
- He said that he would be working late.
- You should not ignore symptoms like these.
- I think you should try again.
- She said that she would make another attempt.
- The government should do something for poor and needy people.
- “Should we invite Sally to the party?”
- “I would rather you didn’t invite her.”
- You should not waste so much money on gadgets.
- Should we wait for him?
- When he grew old, he would spend the whole day in bed.
- I don’t think that you should trust him.
