English

Contraction

shouldn't

1. Contraction of should not.

Usage notes

Although shouldn't is derived from should not, the two are not grammatically interchangeable. While "Shouldn't I do it?" is grammatical, "Should not I do it?" is no longer acceptable. It would instead be "Should I not do it?"

See also

• couldn't
• wouldn't
• oughtn't
• Appendix:English modal verbs
• Appendix:English tag questions

References

• 1983, Zwicky, Arnold M.; Geofrey K. Pullum, “Cliticization vs. Inlection: English n't”, in Language, volume 59, number 3, pages pp. 502–513: