"should think" BrE or AmE as well? Michael Swan says in his grammar book:I should think&nbsp;and&nbsp;I should have thought&nbsp;(also&nbsp;I would&nbsp;/&nbsp;I'd&nbsp;...) can introduce&nbsp;guesses

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"should think" BrE or AmE as well?

Michael Swan says in his grammar book:

I should think and I should have thought (also I would / I'd ...) can introduce guesses.

I should think we'll need at least twelve bottles of wine.
I should (I would / I'd) have thought we could expect at least forty people.<data-blogger-escaped-o:p></data-blogger-escaped-o:p>

This structure can also introduce criticisms.

I should have thought he could have washed his hands, at least.

(PEU 588)

Are these about British English? Or true to American English as well?

May 31, 2018 3:36 AM

Comments · 3

Thank you. Good to know. :)

May 31, 2018

The same goes for British English. This use of I should has an old-fashioned ring to it, even in Britain. We would probably also say I would or 'I'd'.

Practical English Usage was written in the late 1970s, so some of the language in it may sound a little outdated. It has been revised over the years ( most recently in 2016) but there are still a lot of early editions around.

May 31, 2018

It's also American English. We would tend to use would have instead of should have, though.

May 31, 2018

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