Level: Intermediate and Up
Pair with the Song: “Always on My Mind” (performer: Willie Nelson)
Recommended Video: the live performance video

The phrase should have + past participle is used to express regret for past mistakes. Perhaps no song expresses that sentiment better than “Always on My Mind,” which repeats the phrase several times. The interactive worksheet below gives students practice using the construction.

should have worksheet.docx   should have worksheet.pdf    should have worksheet (webpage)

Preview:

Should Have + Past Participle

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.