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You should have passed the exam.

Can be understood as:

  1. You are very smart; the exam is very easy for you; but you didn't pass the exam.

  2. You are very lazy; the exam wasn't that hard for you, but you failed.

How to correctly use should in many contexts like this?

Update:

Answer to "Can you elaborate how you arrive at the second interpretation?"

google "define:should", the first result tells us:

  1. used to emphasize to a listener how striking an event is or was. "you should have seen Marge's face"

    emphasizing how surprising an event was. "I was in this shop when who should I see across the street but Tobias"

Edwin Ashworth
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xmllmx
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    Also, note that another possible interpretation of this sentence that I can think of is: “It is likely that you passed the exam.” For example in the following context: “I know you learnt well and you said that you had plenty of time to answer every question. Do not worry. You should have passed the exam.” – Wrzlprmft Dec 23 '16 at 09:00
  • Please see my update. – xmllmx Dec 23 '16 at 09:06
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    'Should' covered comprehensively at Nuances in variants of “I should/would/∅ think so”. – Edwin Ashworth Dec 23 '16 at 09:25
  • There’s no real, significant difference between the two interpretations you give. Both imply that the person is smart enough to pass the exam, and both imply that the reason they didn’t is related to the person themself, for example that they were too lazy to give it their best effort. They’re just two sides of the same statement. If you wanted an actually different interpretation, it can also mean that the exam was so easy that X should have passed it easily, and that the reason they didn’t can only be that the examiner graded them unfairly. – Janus Bahs Jacquet Dec 23 '16 at 10:05
  • Context (2) here means 'should' carries a reproof (it's your fault you didn't pass) as well as a modal statement (you were expected to pass). In context (1), 'should' can be read as carrying the 'you were expected to pass' sense alone, though context might add reproof (directed at the addressee, or, as Janus says, the markers). Sense (3) (given by Wrzlprmft) is a modal statement but where the actual result is unknown. – Edwin Ashworth Dec 23 '16 at 10:16
  • @EdwinAshworth The link doesn't provide an answer to this question. –  Dec 23 '16 at 13:36
  • @Rathony The 'should of obligation' (2) and the 'should of probability' (1, referring to the likelihood of a past event, & Wrzlprmft's '3' referring to the likelihood of an outcome not yet announced) in tchrist's answer certainly address these senses. And others assumedly requested by OP's vague 'How to correctly use should in many contexts like this?'. – Edwin Ashworth Dec 23 '16 at 14:38
  • @EdwinAshworth I think "You must have passed the exam" or other expressions such as "I am sure you passed it" are better in Qrzlprmft's '3' than "You should have passed the exam". Using the latter without knowing the result sounds weird. Also, the answer to the dupe master mainly deals with the 'should' of probability. I think the 'should' here has less to do with provability and it has more to do with expressing (unexpected) surprise. I would have agreed more if it had been closed as unclear/gen ref/ or migrated than closed as a duplicate. –  Dec 23 '16 at 14:49
  • @Rathony Do you wish people to spend even more time trying to decide whether questions obviously closable are 37% already answered, 32% unsupported by research and 32% unclear? (rounding errors) I usually go for the 'duplicate' reason in such cases as it at least points OP towards material they may find useful. // 'They should be there by now' is totally idiomatic and shows that '3' cannot be ruled out. – Edwin Ashworth Dec 23 '16 at 14:57
  • @EdwinAshworth Well, I don't know. I think that's what users should decide, not us. I am against closing a question as dupe when it is not 100% answered by a dupe master. I will move on. Merry Christmas and all the best! –  Dec 23 '16 at 14:59
  • I include myself as 'people', and supplied 20% of the close-vote poll. / I'm glad you're moving on. / A Happy Christmas. – Edwin Ashworth Dec 23 '16 at 15:05

3 Answers3

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Modal verbs are tricky because the same modal can have different interpretations. Without context, we cannot be certain which situation is being expressed. For example,

You could have passed the exam

a. (Sympathetic) The candidate had the ability and capability to pass the exam but he/she didn't.
b. (Disapproving) The candidate didn't pass because he/she didn't study hard enough.
c. (Objective) The candidate had the opportunity to pass the exam, but failed. We do not know why. d. (Suggestion) The candidate never sat the exam but if they had, they might have passed.

Likewise for should

You should have passed the exam.

a. (Surprised) The exam was relatively easy for anyone to pass, but the candidate failed.
b. (Obligation) The candidate had to pass, but he/she didn't.
c. (Disapproving) Although the exam was within the candidate's ability, he/she failed.
d. (Deduction/incredulity) Despite all expectations, and the candidate's preparation, he/she failed the exam

Only greater context will tell the listener which of the scenarios listed above is meant.

Mari-Lou A
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    This does not answer the question. OP says that 'should' has different interpretations. / Context may not disambiguate completely here. – Edwin Ashworth Dec 23 '16 at 10:21
  • It now addresses 'should'. Downvote removed. No corroborating references, though, so no upvote. / The duplicate I cited doesn't cover all bases, but I seem to remember tchrist posting a few pages from OED on the many usages of should. – Edwin Ashworth Dec 23 '16 at 11:31
  • @EdwinAshworth Unfortunately, I don't have access to the OED from Italy. But the Cambridge dictionary definitions of should in the link, does quite a good job. – Mari-Lou A Dec 23 '16 at 11:33
  • Voting is non-personal (or should be). No thanks are applicable (and I wish someone would intervene when vitriol is some people's response to downvotes-with-explanation). But I will break out of the Sherlock persona at this time of the year. Merry Christmas :) – Edwin Ashworth Dec 23 '16 at 11:34
  • Merry Christmas to you too. – Mari-Lou A Dec 23 '16 at 11:36
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"How to correctly use should in many contexts like this?"

Using it correctly would involve the other person understanding how you meant it, yes?

This seems to be a question about body language, tone of voice and context. English words have many possible uses, so it's the way, time and place that they are used that define their meaning.

Kid E. Skrit
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  • Welcome to English Language and Usage. Let's say there is neither body language nor tone of voice and context is missing. What does the sentence mean? –  Dec 23 '16 at 10:02
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@JanusBahsJacquet commented:

There’s no real, significant difference between the two interpretations you give. Both imply that the person is smart enough to pass the exam, and both imply that the reason they didn’t is related to the person themself, for example that they were too lazy to give it their best effort. They’re just two sides of the same statement. If you wanted an actually different interpretation, it can also mean that the exam was so easy that X should have passed it easily, and that the reason they didn’t can only be that the examiner graded them unfairly.

@EdwinAshworth commented:

Context (2) here means 'should' carries a reproof (it's your fault you didn't pass) as well as a modal statement (you were expected to pass). In context (1), 'should' can be read as carrying the 'you were expected to pass' sense alone, though context might add reproof (directed at the addressee, or, as Janus says, the markers).