1 (used for saying that it is right or appropriate for sb to do sth, or for sth to happen) ought to （表示应该做或发生）应该: The police should do something about street crime in this area. 警方应该就这个地区的街头犯罪做点事。Children shouldn't be left on their own. 不该把孩子们留下不管。I'm tired. I shouldn't have gone to bed so late/I should have gone to bed earlier. 我很累，我不该那么晚才上床睡觉╱我理应早点上床睡觉。

2 used for giving or for asking for advice （用于提出或征求意见）: You should try that new restaurant. 你应该到那家新餐馆试试。Do you think I should phone him? 你认为我应该给他打电话吗？What should I do? 我该怎么办？

3 used for saying that you expect sth is true or will happen （用于表示期待某事属实或发生）: It's 4.30. They should be in New York by now. 现在是4时30分，他们此刻应该到了纽约。It should stop raining soon. 雨该快停了。

4 (Brit 英) (formal 正式) used with ‘I/we’ instead of ‘would’ in ‘if’ sentences （在if句中与I或we连用，取代would）: I should be most grateful if you could send me... 如蒙惠寄…，不胜铭感。

5 (formal 正式) used after ‘if’ and ‘in case’ to refer to a possible event or situation （用于if和in case之后，表示某事可能发生）: If you should decide to accept, please phone us. 万一你决定接受，请打电话给我们。Should you decide to accept... 万一你决定接受…

6 used as the past tense of ‘shall’ when we report what sb says （在复述他人的话时，用作shall的过去时）: He asked me if he should come today (= he asked ‘Shall I come today?’). 他问我他今天要不要来。

7 I should imagine, say, think, etc used to give opinions that you are not certain about （表示觉得没把握）我想╱我要说╱我觉得… ☞For more information about modal verbs, look at the Quick Grammar Reference section at the back of this dictionary. 有关情态动词的详细用法，参看本词典末“语法便览”部份。