A. Read the conversation below the photo.

Speaker A: They didn’t take an umbrella, and they got soaking wet.
Speaker B: They should have taken an umbrella.

The couple in the photo should have taken an umbrella. Taking an
umbrella was a good idea—but they didn’t do it. Should have + past participle is often used to talk about regrets and past mistakes.
Pronunciation Tip: The l in should is silent; should rhymes with good.
Should have is usually pronounced “should-ev” or “shoulda.”

B. Complete the sentences for Speaker B. Use should have in each sentence.

1. Speaker A: I didn’t take the subway to work. I took the bus, and the traffic was awful.
Speaker B: You _________________________________________________________.
2. Speaker A: They didn’t ask for directions, and they got lost.
Speaker B: They _________________________________________________________.
3. Speaker A: She didn’t study for the test. Her score was 64%.
Speaker B: She _________________________________________________________.
4. Speaker A: I didn’t eat lunch today. Now I’m really hungry.
Speaker B: You _________________________________________________________.
5. Speaker A: They didn’t buy the TV when it was on sale. Now it costs $100 more.
Speaker B: They _________________________________________________________.
6. Speaker A: She didn’t go to the party because she thought it would be boring. The next day, she heard that everybody had a great time.
Speaker B: She _________________________________________________________.
7. Speaker A: We didn’t learn any Italian before we went to Italy. Sometimes we had trouble communicating with Italians.
Speaker B: You _________________________________________________________.
8. Speaker A: He didn’t check the hours before he went to the library. When he arrived, he discovered the library was closed.
Speaker B: He _________________________________________________________.
9. Speaker A: We didn’t make a reservation for dinner. The restaurant was busy, and we had to wait over an hour for a table.
Speaker B: You _________________________________________________________.
10. Speaker A: He didn’t read the agreement before he clicked on “agree.” He didn’t know he was giving the company permission to share his personal information.
Speaker B: He _________________________________________________________.

C. Read the sentences above aloud with a partner.

D. Write your own sentences for Speaker A and B. Use should have in the sentence you write for Speaker B.

Speaker A:_____________________________________________________________
Speaker B:_____________________________________________________________

Worksheet: Copyright © 2019 Sandra Heyer. All rights reserved. Permission granted to reproduce for classroom use.
Photo: Copyright © Kamil Macniak | Dreamstime. Used by permission.