'Should of' v. 'Should have': which is correct?

Dionysus · 23-08-2011 09:17PM #1

It's time for an AH poll on this as both versions appear to be widely used here.

I've always said 'should have' - e.g. 'I should have done that' - but the more I read AH the more I realise I could, possibly, be incorrect.

So, denizens of Afterhours: which is correct?

copacetic · 23-08-2011 09:18PM

Shoulda coulda woulda

23-08-2011 09:18PM

IT'S 'SHOULD HAVE'

:mad:

Larianne · 23-08-2011 09:19PM

bluewolf wrote: »

IT'S 'SHOULD HAVE'

:mad:

I knew you'd be in like a flash!

Killer Pigeon · 23-08-2011 09:19PM

> Primary School Forum

Mickeroo · 23-08-2011 09:19PM

Should have.

Sir Oxman · 23-08-2011 09:20PM

Should have, I think people use 'should of' instead of should've because erm, it sounds like 'should of'

Sky King · 23-08-2011 09:20PM

Should have.

Badgermonkey · 23-08-2011 09:20PM

Shuddup

hatrickpatrick · 23-08-2011 09:20PM

How is this a real question?

"Should of" makes no grammatical sense whatsoever. "of" is not a verb.
"Should" is the imperfect, and the imperfect can only be applied to a verb.

"I should have done" is the past imperfect of "I do". The past tense, technically speaking, is "I have done", then you add the imperfect, "I should have done."

Where the hell does "of" come into this?

23-08-2011 09:21PM

hatrickpatrick wrote: »

Where the hell does "of" come into this?

Lazy speech translating into confused typing

same reason you see 'i was seen this girl' and 'she was been stupid'

Larianne · 23-08-2011 09:23PM

bluewolf wrote: »

Lazy speech translating into confused typing

same reason you see 'i was seen this girl' and 'she was been stupid'

Further grammatical errors/queries on boards.ie should be forwarded to Bluewolf via PM.

:pac:

stovelid · 23-08-2011 09:24PM

Should have - e.g. I should have done that

I hope lots of lower-class people erroneously plump for should of so I can sneer at them.

The excitement of it is giving me a gargantuan erection.

Aldebaran · 23-08-2011 09:24PM

Getting ready to mob the first person who votes 'should of'.

23-08-2011 09:25PM

Larianne wrote: »

Further grammatical errors/queries on boards.ie should be forwarded to Bluewolf via PM.

:pac:

bluewolf :cool::pac:

stovelid wrote: »

I hope lots of lower-class people erroneously plump for should of so I can sneer at them.

The excitement of it is giving me a gargantuan erection.

I'm not sneering at anyone. :rolleyes:

Mickeroo · 23-08-2011 09:25PM

bluewolf wrote: »

Lazy speech translating into confused typing

same reason you see 'i was seen this girl' and 'she was been stupid'

Kind of different but my flatmate (who is awesome by the way) always says "pacific" when she means "specific" and it drives me mental.

Ickle Magoo · 23-08-2011 09:25PM

stovelid wrote: »

I hope lots of lower-class people erroneously plump for should of so I can sneer at them.

The excitement of it is giving me a gargantuan erection.

Well that's a lovely image - thanks for that. :eek:

I'm also not sure that spelling and grammar is class dependent...

23-08-2011 09:26PM

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c3y0CD2CoCs

Larianne · 23-08-2011 09:26PM

bluewolf wrote: »

bluewolf :cool::pac:

I bloody well knew that as I was typing. Damn it!

Dun · 23-08-2011 09:27PM

Should have.. it's a "modal auxiliary verb", which means that it needs another verb afterwards. Should is the conditional form of "shall", much like would is the conditional form of "will".

You could say (as archaic as it may sound) "I shall have finished this by 8 o'clock", and then at 9 o'clock "I should have finished this by 8 o'clock, but I went on AH and time flew by". But you wouldn't say "I shall of finished...." so you wouldn't say "I should of finished". It just sounds like that when we speak quickly :P

Larianne · 23-08-2011 09:27PM

Mickeroo wrote: »

Kind of different but my flatmate (who is awesome by the way) always says "pacific" when she means "specific" and it drives me mental.

I'll be honest here and say I only copped myself saying the same thing about a year or two ago!

Had no clue before!!!

stovelid · 23-08-2011 09:28PM

Should have - e.g. I should have done that

bluewolf wrote: »

I'm not sneering at anyone. :rolleyes:

That's a source of immense gratification to me.

Temptamperu · 23-08-2011 09:29PM

Its should have... not that it really matters in the long run.

Mickeroo · 23-08-2011 09:30PM

Larianne wrote: »

I'll be honest here and say I only copped myself saying the same thing about a year or two ago! Had no clue before!!!

It's an easy mistake to make in fairness, and I do enjoy talking like I'm stoned when they ask me to be more pacific.

Dun · 23-08-2011 09:34PM

hatrickpatrick wrote: »

How is this a real question?

"Should of" makes no grammatical sense whatsoever. "of" is not a verb.
"Should" is the imperfect, and the imperfect can only be applied to a verb.

"I should have done" is the past imperfect of "I do". The past tense, technically speaking, is "I have done", then you add the imperfect, "I should have done."

Where the hell does "of" come into this?

I do believe that "I was doing" or "I used to do" would be the imperfect of "I do". "I should do" would be the simple past of shall used as an auxiliary to "do". But I never studied English, except in the context of translation into it, so I'm open to correction.

Elohim · 23-08-2011 09:39PM

I made this mistake when I was 5. I still remember the shame!

23-08-2011 09:39PM

One of my top 10 annoyances on boards.

It's "should have", "would have" and "could have".

Zillah · 23-08-2011 09:41PM

ALL INTENTS AND PURPOSES

Larianne · 23-08-2011 09:42PM

Mickeroo wrote: »

It's an easy mistake to make in fairness, and I do enjoy talking like I'm stoned when they ask me to be more pacific.

I don't know where I picked it up. I sometimes have trouble pronouncing certain 's' words so maybe that's it. It was only for my friend so corrected me, I'd still be going around saying it!

23-08-2011 09:42PM

Zillah wrote: »

ALL INTENTS AND PURPOSES

i would of taught it was all intensive purposes per say. i use it alot.

ok, i need a shower now...

Killer Pigeon · 23-08-2011 09:44PM

Those who understand English grammar and those who don't. Name and Shame.

Poll:

'Should of' v. 'Should have': which is correct?

Should of - e.g. I should of done that

stovelid

Should have - e.g. I should have done that

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