student asking question

What does "should have + past participle (p.p)" mean?

teacher

Native speaker’s answer

Rebecca

The grammar pattern "should have" + past participle is used when you want to discuss an action you should have done, but didn't do. It's a bit like giving advice to the you of the past, in hindsight. For example, the speaker has used this expression to state that people tell him it would have been good for him to post more of Kobe's workouts, but this was not something he actually did at the time. Ex: I should have brought an umbrella when I left the house. Now it's raining and I'm getting drenched. Ex: I should have eaten more at dinner. Now I'm hungry again.

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