Past of Should

The Past Form of Should



To form the past of should simply add have + past participle:


–I missed my plane this morning. I should have left earlier.
–I can't find a hotel room. I should have made a reservation.


The past form of should conveys the notion of a failure or omission. Note that the customary pronunciation of should have is should've or shouda. The negative form is should not have, pronounced in colloquial English as shouldn't've or shouldn't'a.