Otuk #1 British Online School

2. Modals of Advice & Suggestion – should, could, might, would, shall
Merriam Webster defines advice to be an opinion or suggestion about what someone should do, while
the Macmillan Dictionary says that suggestion is an idea or plan that you offer for someone to consider.
For giving advice, we most commonly use the modal verb should. However, we can also use could or
 might, though giving advice this way is less strong. Using would to give advice is more abstract or
hypothetical, as in: What would you do if you won the lottery? We can sometimes use shall, but only in
questions.
Here are some examples:
Present advice / suggestion:
3 / 12

---

OTUK #1 British Online School
https://onlineteachersuk.com
You really should give up smoking!
Tonight we could go to see a film or to a restaurant.
It might be a good idea to phone them before we go there.
If I were you, I would take an umbrella when you go out tonight.
Present advice / suggestion negative:
He shouldn’t eat so many chocolate because it will make him fat.
You might not want to go to the party because your ex will be there.
Couldn't you phone them again just to make sure they are at home?
I wouldn’t go there if I were you. It’s a dangerous part of town!
Present advice / suggestion question:
Should I stay at home or go to the party with George?
Shall we have a barbecue sometime next week?
Could you ask your dad to help with your homework?
We can also use the semi-modals ought to and had better to give advice. Ought to is similar in meaning to
should, but had better is for much stronger advice. Some examples of these in use are:
Present advice: It’s very cold today, and you really ought to wear a scarf and gloves.
 Present advice: You are driving much too fast! I think you had better slow down!
 Present advice negative: You had better not waste any more time on your ex-boyfriend!
Remember that we don’t use the -ing form of the verb after a modal. Instead, we have to use the base
form.
We can’t going to the cinema next week. 
(Wrong)
We can’t go to the cinema next week. 
(Right)