Is the structure "should do something" JUST advice form of "simple present tense"?

Question

We all know that simple present tense is used to show habitual action.

I play tennis. (current habitual action)

She does not play tennis. (current habitual action)

She always forgets her purse. (current habitual action)

My question is that:

Is the structure "should do something" JUST advice form of "simple present tense"?

I should play tennis. (it is advice that "playing tennis" should be my current habitual action, ie, I should play tennis as a habit)

She should not play tennis. (it is advice that "not playing tennis" should be her current habitual action, ie, she should never play tennis)

She should not forget her purse. (it is advice that "not forgetting her purse" should be her current habitual action, ie she should never forget her purse)

All the above advice is general. However, we got specific advice as well.

Ex: Mary should inform me after Tom calls her tomorrow at 3 pm.

But we normally don't use simple present tense for specific action. We either use simple past or simple future for it.

So, we don't say: Mary informs me after Tom calls her tomorrow at 3 pm.

But we say: Mary will inform me after Tom calls her tomorrow at 3 pm.

So, the belief that the structure "should do something" is JUST advice form of "simple present tense" is simply wrong?

Answer 1

"Should" does not always indicate advice, and there really is no special "advice form".

I should play tennis.

This could be rewritten as "I ought to play tennis". I suppsoe you could call it advice, but that isn't what is usually meant be advice. It may well suggest that the person thinks that s/he should play tennis regularly, but context could modify this to indicate a single particular occasion:

If I had the choice of a game of tennis or of fighting a polar bear, I should play tennis.

She should not forget her purse.

This may mean ""she had better not forget her purse" or "it would be unwise of her to forget her purse". But it may also be a prediction "She is unlikely to forget her purse."

She should not play tennis.

Without context this most likely means "She should not ever play tennis", but "not play regularly" could be meant.

Mary should inform me after Tom calls her tomorrow at 3 pm.

This might be an instruction: This is what I want Mary to do. It may be a prediction: This is hoe I anticipate that Mary will act. It could be advice: This is how I think it best for Mary to act. In any case, this is not in the simple present.

The statement that "the structure should do something is JUST advice form of simple present tense" is certainly not correct. Indeed it is pretty much meaningless, as there really is no such thing as "the advice form of the simple present tense".

The structure "P should X" where P is an actor X is a verb or verb phrase including an object can indicate a suggestion, an instruction, or a prediction. The verb will usually be in the bare infinitive, which is often the same as first person singular form (it is for regular verbs). Sometimes context makes this clear.

The boat should dock by 3pm.

is probably a prediction. However:

The boat should dock by 3pm if the Captain wants to leave on schedule.

is a suggestion or advice.