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Part 1 ยท Episode 30 A2-B1

You Should Think Twice

๐Ÿ“ should/shouldn't

Isaac Newton ยท Newton during plague ๐Ÿ“– 4 min read

Episode 30: You Should Think Twice

should/shouldn’t: advice โ€“ Isaac Newton, 1665 (A1-A2)

Grammar Box

Meaning: Should gives advice, suggestions, or recommendations (softer than must). Shouldn’t warns against something gently. People can choose to follow or not.

Form: should/shouldn’t + base verb (I/you/he/she/it/we/they should/shouldn’t + verb)

Example 1: You should rest more. (advice)

Example 2: You shouldn’t eat too much sugar. (gentle warning)

Common mistake: Wrong: You should to study. Better: You should study.

The Question

Luna’s friend wanted to quit school. Luna said, “You must stay.” Her friend got angry. The watch glowed gently. Professor Wisdom appeared. “Let’s learn a softer way to give advice.”

The Journey

Woolsthorpe, England. 1665. The plague killed thousands. Cambridge University closed. Everyone ran from the city. Isaac Newton was 23 years old. He was a quiet student. Not rich. Not famous. He went home to his mother’s farm. People told him, “You should forget your studies. You should help on the farm.” But Newton made a different choice.

This moment mattered. Most people stopped learning during the plague. They focused on survival. But Newton saw opportunity. No classes meant no interruptions. No teachers meant no rules. He could think freely. But it was hard. He was alone. No books. No equipment. Just his mind. His mother needed help. Friends thought he was wasting time. “You shouldn’t waste your days thinking,” they said. But Newton believed thinking was everything.

He sat in the garden. An apple fell from a tree. The air smelled fresh after rain. Newton watched it fall. Why does everything fall down? He started thinking about gravity. He drew diagrams in his notebook. He calculated. He questioned. In that one year, he invented calculus. He discovered how light works. He understood gravity. One year. Three of the greatest discoveries in history. All because he thought deeply.

Before the plague year, Newton was nobody. After the plague year, he changed science forever. All because he shouldn’t have stopped thinking.

The Insight

“Notice the advice people gave Newton,” Professor Wisdom said. “They used ‘should’ and ‘shouldn’t.’ Not ‘must.’ Not ‘have to.’ ‘Should’ is softer. It’s a suggestion. A recommendation. People can choose to follow it or not. Newton heard ‘you should help on the farm.’ But he chose differently. That’s the beauty of ‘should.'”

“Should” gives advice without forcing. “Shouldn’t” warns gently. Both show wisdom, not power.

Practice Zone

More Examples:

  1. “You should drink more water.” โ€“ health advice
  2. “We shouldn’t waste time.” โ€“ gentle warning
  3. “Should I take this job?” โ€“ asking for advice
  4. “You should see a doctor.” โ€“ caring suggestion
  5. “They shouldn’t drive in this weather.” โ€“ safety recommendation
  6. “I should study more.” โ€“ self-reflection

Exercises:

  1. Fill in the blank: “You _____ eat too much sugar. It’s bad for your teeth.” (should/shouldn’t)

  2. Choose the correct:
    a) You should to rest more.
    b) You should rest more.

  3. Give advice using “should” or “shouldn’t”:
    – Your friend is very tired. โ†’ You _
    – Someone is driving too fast. โ†’ They
    – A student never does homework. โ†’ The student     __

  4. Complete: “If you want to learn English well, you should _, but you shouldn’t ___.”

  5. Your turn: Your friend wants to buy something expensive they can’t afford. What advice do you give? Use “should” or “shouldn’t.”

Answer Key:

  1. shouldn’t (warning against something)
  2. b) You should rest more. (No “to” after “should”)
  3. Possible answers: “You should go to bed early.” / “They shouldn’t drive so fast.” / “The student should do homework every day.”
  4. Example: “If you want to learn English well, you should practice every day, but you shouldn’t be afraid of mistakes.”
  5. Check: Did you use “should” or “shouldn’t”? Is it advice, not an order? Example: “You shouldn’t buy it now. You should save money first.”

The Lesson

Luna understood. “Should is kinder than must.” Professor Wisdom smiled. “Yes. Newton’s story teaches us: listen to advice, but trust your own thinking. Sometimes you should follow the path others can’t see.”