The words ‘should be’ and ‘would be’ are modal verbs that are auxiliary in English. These words are used with any infinite verb to convey, request or say something to someone.
According to the English dictionary, both these words have their characteristics and meanings, which makes them different.
Should Be vs Would Be
The word ‘should be’ is the past tense of the word shall be, which is in the future tense, and on the other hand, the term ‘would be’ is the past tense of the word shall be, which is in the future tense when they have to be used in a sentence.
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When a person wants to denote or state a particular duty or obligation to some other person regarding a specific thing at a specific time, saying that it is compulsory to be done, then that person uses the word ‘should be’ in their sentence to help them state the degree of how important it is.
When a person wants to denote or state a particular request or suggestion to some other person regarding a specific thing at an exact time, saying that doing something in that specified way may be better than that person using the word ‘Would be’ in their sentence for a better sense of communication.
Comparison Table
| Parameters of Comparison | Should Be | Would Be |
|---|---|---|
| Function | ‘Should be’ denotes an obligation and necessity in a sentence. | ‘Would be’ denotes a request, suggestion, or possibility in a sentence. |
| Past tense of | The word ‘Should be’ in the past tense of the term shall be in the future tense. | The word ‘would be’ is in the past tense of the term and shall be in the future tense. |
| Manner used for | The word ‘should be’ is used in a sentence compulsively. | The word ‘would be’ is usually used for sentences customarily. |
| Contingency | When ‘should be’ is used, the action will happen. | When ‘Would be’ is used, the action may or may not happen in a sentence. |
| Degree of intensity | The degree of power is more when the word ‘should be’ is used. | The degree of intensity is less when the word ‘would be’ is used. |
What is Should Be?
When a person wants to denote or state a particular duty or obligation to some other person regarding a specific thing at a specific time, saying that it is compulsory to be done, then that person uses the word ‘should be’ in their sentence to help them state the degree of how important it is.
This word is usually used to direct to do something which may be wrong or right. It is often used when it comes to judging the activities of people. It is used to tell which is the best choice out of something and to state if there is a chance of something happening or not.
Following are some examples where ‘Should be’ is used in a sentence-
- I should be going home now, or else I’ll get late.
- We should be at the party by evening 7 pm.
- This should be placed under that table.
- What should be played with vanilla ice cream?
What is Would Be?
When a person wants to denote or state a particular request or suggestion to some other person regarding a specific thing at an exact time, saying that doing something in that specified way may be better than that person using the word ‘Would be’ in their sentence for a better sense of communication.
This word is used when someone wants to attend to do something in a particular way. It is used to talk about events that occurred in the past regarding actions and reactions in a statement.
Sometimes it also acts as an adjective in a sentence. It describes or aspires to something in a verdict for the future.
Following are some examples where ‘Would be’ is used in a sentence-
- I would be honoured to attend the grand ceremony at the palace.
- We would have had fun if we had gone to the circus.
- That would be a good idea.
- She would be going to college tomorrow.
Main Differences Between Should Be and Would Be
- ‘Should be’ is the past tense of the word shall be, which is in the future tense, and on the other hand, the word ‘would be’ is the past tense of the term shall be, which is in the future tense.
- The word ‘would be’ is usually used for sentences customarily, while the word ‘should be’ is used in a sentence compulsively.
- When ‘Would be’ is used, the action may or may not happen in a sentence, and on the other hand, when ‘should be’ is used, the step is sure to happen.
- The degree of intensity is less when the word ‘would be’ is used, and on the other hand, the degree of power is more when the word ‘should be’ is used.
- ‘Would be’ is used to denote a request, suggestion, or possibility in a sentence, while ‘should be’ is used to denote an obligation and necessity in a sentence.
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Emma Smith holds an MA degree in English from Irvine Valley College. She has been a Journalist since 2002, writing articles on the English language, Sports, and Law. Read more about me on her bio page.
