What Part of Speech is Should

In English, the word “should” is a modal auxiliary verb.

Modal Auxiliary Verb

Modal auxiliary verbs are a type of verb that is used to express ideas such as possibility, necessity, and obligation. They are used with other verbs to indicate the mood or attitude of the speaker.

“Should” is used to express the idea of something being necessary or advisable. It can be used to give advice, make a suggestion, or express a condition.

For example:

As a modal auxiliary verb:

• “You should eat your vegetables.” (giving advice)
• “We should leave early.” (making a suggestion)
• “He should study more.” (giving advice)
• “She should call her mother.” (giving advice)
• “They should be careful.” (giving advice)

As an auxiliary verb of condition:

• “If I were you, I should do it.” (expressing a condition)
• “He should be here by now.” (expressing a condition)
• “She should be able to finish it by tomorrow.” (expressing a condition)
• “We should have enough time.” (expressing a condition)
• “They should be able to help us.” (expressing a condition)

FAQs

Q1. Is should a modal verb?

Answer: Yes, “should” is considered a modal verb.

Q2. Does should have a verb?

Answer: Yes, the verb in the phrase “should have” is “have”.

Q3. What is the verb tense of should?

Answer: The verb tense of “should” is the modal present.

Q4. What part of speech is this?

Answer: “Should” is a modal verb and it has various uses depending on its context. It can be used as an auxiliary verb, as a main verb, or even appear in the subjunctive mood.