hello all,
please tell me what's the difference in usage of these two verbs:
"must" and "should". which way is more convenient?
- "he must do smth" / "it must to be done" / "i must do smth" or
- "he should do smth" / "it should be done" / "i should do smth" etc.

thanks,
Alexey

dorris26 wrote:
> hello all,
> please tell me what's the difference in usage of these two verbs:
> "must" and "should". which way is more convenient?
> - "he must do smth" / "it must to be done" / "i must do smth" or

A strong obligation or a necessity

> - "he should do smth" / "it should be done" / "i should do smth" etc.
> 
A weak obligation or a recommendation

Regards, Einde O'Callaghan

On Thu, 19 Jun 2008 09:23:33 +0200, Einde O'Callaghan
 wrote:

>dorris26 wrote:
>> hello all,
>> please tell me what's the difference in usage of these two verbs:
>> "must" and "should". which way is more convenient?
>> - "he must do smth" / "it must to be done" / "i must do smth" or
>
>A strong obligation or a necessity
>
>> - "he should do smth" / "it should be done" / "i should do smth" etc.
>> 
>A weak obligation or a recommendation
>
>Regards, Einde O'Callaghan

thank you for your explanations, Einde. the point is when i learned
englisn in school (it was more than 20 years ego) teachers taught us
to use "must". but now, when i speak english at work, everybody use
only "should". what's this? maybe an echo of political correctness? or
smth else?

one more question, is it widespread to say smth like "he tolds me"
instead of "he told me"?


regards,
AN

At 22:07:17 on Thu, 19 Jun 2008, dorris26 
 wrote in 
:

>one more question, is it widespread to say smth like "he tolds me"
>instead of "he told me"?

No.  To say that would be not only absolutely wrong, but also totally 
illogical (trying to combine past tense with present tense!).  I have 
never in my life heard anybody say that, and never expect to.
-- 
Molly Mockford
They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety
deserve neither liberty nor safety - Benjamin Franklin
(My Reply-To address *is* valid, though may not remain so for ever.)

dorris26 wrote:
> On Thu, 19 Jun 2008 09:23:33 +0200, Einde O'Callaghan
>  wrote:
> 
>> dorris26 wrote:
>>> hello all,
>>> please tell me what's the difference in usage of these two verbs:
>>> "must" and "should". which way is more convenient?
>>> - "he must do smth" / "it must to be done" / "i must do smth" or
>> A strong obligation or a necessity
>>
>>> - "he should do smth" / "it should be done" / "i should do smth" etc.
>>>
>> A weak obligation or a recommendation
>>
>> Regards, Einde O'Callaghan
> 
> thank you for your explanations, Einde. the point is when i learned
> englisn in school (it was more than 20 years ego) teachers taught us
> to use "must". but now, when i speak english at work, everybody use
> only "should". what's this? maybe an echo of political correctness? or
> smth else?
> 
I doubt it. They're giving advice, not orders.

> one more question, is it widespread to say smth like "he tolds me"
> instead of "he told me"?
> 
No - not in standard English or in any dialect I know of.

Regards, Einde O'Callaghan

Try:

http://www.englishforums.com/English/GeneralEnglishGrammarQuestions/Forum12.htm

At 17:33:58 on Wed, 16 Jul 2008, Marius.Hancu@gmail.com wrote in 
:

>Try:
>http://www.englishforums.com/English/GeneralEnglishGrammarQuestions/Forum12.htm

I never saw the original post;  however, MUST/SHOULD/MAY, in the context 
of Usenet (which is where we all are, children), is very clearly defined 
in <http://www.ietf.org/rfc/rfc2119.txt>;  RFC2119 / Bradner97.
-- 
Molly Mockford
They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety
deserve neither liberty nor safety - Benjamin Franklin
(My Reply-To address *is* valid, though may not remain so for ever.)