What you'll learn
By the end of this lesson, you'll be able to use "should have + past participle" for regret, advice about the past and mild criticism.
When do I use it?
Use "should have + past participle" when something in the past was a good idea but didn't happen — or a bad thing happened that shouldn't have:
- Regret: "I should have studied more." "I shouldn't have said that."
- Criticism: "You should have told me earlier."
- Expectation: "The train should have arrived by now."
The negative is "shouldn't have + past participle": "She shouldn't have left so early."
How do I form it?
subject + should (not) have + past participle
- We should have booked a table.
- I shouldn't have bought that expensive coat.
- He should have been more careful.
- The email should have arrived this morning.
Common mistakes for Spanish speakers
"Deberías haber ido" → "you should have gone", but speakers often write "should has gone", "should to have gone" or "should had gone". Keep the fixed formula: should + have + participle. Also "no deberías haber" is "shouldn't have", never "don't should have". And remember the "have" is not "of": "should of gone" is a spelling error, though it sounds identical in speech.
should (not) + have + past participle — regret, advice about the past, criticism.
Practice
Multiple Choice
B2Which sentence is correct?
Fill in the Blank
B2You shouldn't said that to your boss.
Hint: shouldn't + have + past participle.
Find the Error
B2Sentence Transformation
B2Task: Rewrite with should have
Hint: Regret about the past → should have + participle.
Practice Speaking
Apply what you've learned in a real conversation with AI feedback.
Level: B2