A2CEFRGrammar12 min

Grammar: Advice with should and Why don't you

Phones, apps and the internet

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Phones, Apps & the Internet

Giving Advice with Should, Shouldn't & Why don't you?

⏱️ 12 mins • A2 Grammar
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How to use this lesson

For teachers

Set a 12-minute timer for the whole lesson and let learners read the table first.

Check answers together as a class or have students compare in pairs.

For learners

Read the 4 grammar rules in the table carefully first.

Next, complete the 12 questions and check your score.

📘 Grammar Rules & Advice Patterns

4 Core Rules
Grammar Rule Exact Example
Rule 1

should + verb gives advice, and the verb has no -s, even after he, she and it.

"She should ask her teacher for help."

Rule 2

shouldn't + verb says that something is not a good idea.

"You shouldn't leave your phone in the sun."

Rule 3

To ask for advice we say What should I do? or Should I + verb?

"Should I buy a new phone this year?"

Rule 4

Why don't you + verb? is a friendly question that gives advice, and it does not ask for a reason.

"Why don't you call your cousin tonight?"

A teenager holding a smartphone in a bright modern room with a clean desk, a mobile screen showing an app, and a white p

Take care of your phone and manage your apps wisely.

Quick Pattern

"You should charge your phone at night, and you shouldn't use it in bed."

Remember: keep the verb simple. No "to" and no -s after should.

Practice Time

Interactive Tasks: 12 Practice Questions

Complete each set below. Use the single-word clue in parentheses to help identify the context.

Two speech bubbles on a colorful smartphone screen showing friendly tech advice messages between friends, modern flat ve
1 Part 1: Choose the Correct Sentence (Questions 1 - 3)

1. Which sentence gives correct advice for choosing a strong password?

(password)
____ a. He should chooses a strong password for his phone. ____ b. He should to choose a strong password for his phone. ____ c. He should choose a strong password for his phone.

2. Which sentence correctly advises someone NOT to remove an important message?

(message)
____ a. You shouldn't delete that important message. ____ b. You shouldn't deletes that important message. ____ c. You shouldn't to delete that important message.

3. Which question correctly asks for advice about a learning app?

(app)
____ a. Should I download this learning app? ____ b. Do I should download this learning app? ____ c. Should I to download this learning app?
2 Part 2: Rewrite Advice ("You should..." ➔ "Why don't you...?") (Questions 4 - 6)

4. Rewrite this sentence into a friendly suggestion starting with "Why don't you...?":

(website)

"You should search for that website."

____ (Type the full rewritten question here...)

5. Rewrite this sentence into a friendly suggestion starting with "Why don't you...?":

(chat)

"You should chat with your classmates online."

____ (Type the full rewritten question here...)

6. Rewrite this sentence into a friendly suggestion starting with "Why don't you...?":

(charger)

"You should buy a fast charger for your phone."

____ (Type the full rewritten question here...)
3 Part 3: Complete the Gaps (Questions 7 - 9)

7. Fill in the blank with shouldn't, Why don't you, or should:

(signal)

"The signal is bad here. You ____ stand near the window."

8. Fill in the blank with shouldn't, Why don't you, or should:

(delete)

"Your phone memory is full, but these are your only photos of the trip. You ____ delete them."

9. Fill in the missing word to ask for advice:

(advice)

"My phone is very slow. ____ I delete some apps?"

4 Part 4: Correct the Grammar Error in the Chat Messages (Questions 10 - 12)

10. Find and correct the error in this chat message:

(question)
💬 "My phone has no signal. What I should do?"

Write only the correct words to replace the underlined phrase:

____ (Type the corrected phrase here...)

11. Find and correct the error in this chat message:

(search)
💬 "Tom wants to find the answer. He should uses an online search tool."

Write only the correct words to replace the underlined phrase:

____ (Type the corrected phrase here...)

12. Find and correct the error in this chat message:

(password)
💬 "That site looks strange. You shouldn't to enter your password."

Write only the correct words to replace the underlined phrase:

____ (Type the corrected phrase here...)

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