shouldn't
English
Etymology
should + -n't
Pronunciation
- (UK) IPA(key): /ˈʃʊdn̩t/
- (Yorkshire) IPA(key): [ˈʃʊnʔ]
Audio (US) (file)
Verb
shouldn't
- Should not (negative auxiliary[1])
Usage notes
Although shouldn't is derived from should not, the two are not grammatically interchangeable. While "Shouldn't I do it?" is grammatical, "Should not I do it?" is no longer acceptable. It would instead be "Should I not do it?"[1]
Derived terms
- shouldn't've
Translations
Should not
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Noun
shouldn't (plural shouldn'ts)
- (informal) Something that should not be done.
- 2008, Working Mother (volume 31, number 8, page 20)
- Being a list-o-maniac, I suggested we make a list of the "shoulds" and "shouldn'ts." So in the darkness of hazy sleep, I began to mentally prepare mine. The first item on the "should" side was easy: a sibling for our 3-year-old daughter.
- 2008, Working Mother (volume 31, number 8, page 20)
See also
- couldn't
- wouldn't
- oughtn't
- Appendix:English modal verbs
- Appendix:English tag questions
References
- Zwicky, Arnold M.; Geofrey K. Pullum (1983), “Cliticization vs. Inlection: English n't”, in Language, volume 59, issue 3, pages pp. 502–513