The Grammaring Guide to English Grammar with Exercises

Reporting verb + THAT-clause with SHOULD + infinitive

VERB + THAT-CLAUSE WITH SHOULD + INFINITIVE

Examples of reporting verbs used with a that-clause with should:

advise, agree, demand, insist, prefer, propose, recommend, request, suggest, urge

Carlos: I think you should visit a specialist.

Carlos

advised

that I should visit a specialist.

Susan: Yes, you are right, Harry. You'd better accept that offer.

Susan

agreed

that Harry should accept the offer.

Customer: I want you to give me a full refund.

The customer

demanded

that the company should give him a full refund.

Mike: You really must try my new muffin recipe.

Mike

insisted

that I should try his new muffin recipe.

Howard: I'd rather you came to my party, and not to Ryan's.

Howard

preferred

that I should go to his party.

Jill: How about going to the sauna tonight?

Jill

proposed / recommended / suggested

that we should go to the sauna.

Employees: Could we have the staff meeting on Tuesday instead?

The employees

requested

that the staff meeting should be on Tuesday.

Green activists: The nuclear plant must immediately be shut down.

Green activists

urged

that the nuclear plant should be shut down.

The present subjunctive can replace should + infinitive in a that-clause in formal and literary styles:

Carlos: I think you should visit a specialist.

Carlos advised that I

visit

a specialist.