SUPPOSE BE SUPPOSED TO SUPPOSEDLY SUPPOSE A: Are you going to dinner with that client? B: I suppose so. I'd really rather meet earlier, but he couldn't make it any sooner. X: Bill called, but he didn't leave a message. Y: What do you suppose he wanted? X: I suppose he wanted to know the status of that dispute. He’s very interested in settling. Form Suppose is a regular verb. The final e is silent. The final s is pronounced like a z. Stress the second syllable, and say: sup-poz. Suppose is almost always used in the present tense. The clause that follows can be in any tense. I suppose he'll call. I suppose he calls there every day. I suppose he called. I suppose he had called before coming. I suppose he can call from his car. Suppose is typically used in the first person (I/we): We suppose they're reviewing the proposal right now. or in the question (second person) - you: What do you suppose he meant by that? Suppose is followed by two possibilities: I suppose so. (fixed expression) [1] I suppose (that) … followed by a clause [2] (see second example) [3] Function Suppose is used to mean imagine, assume, or deduce. BE SUPPOSED TO A: Would you like to play tennis on Saturday? B: I'd love to, but I'm supposed to take my kids to the dentist. X: Where's Diane? I thought she was coming with us. Y: She was supposed to, but she got tied up with a filing at the last minute. The police are not supposed to stop or question likely suspects outside their jurisdiction. [4] Of course, sometimes they do it, anyway. Form BE supposed to is a kind of modal auxiliary. It describes duty or obligation. The e is silent. The second s is pronounced like z. Stress the second syllable. To pronounce supposed correctly, do not add "ed" -- do not say "suppos-ed". Instead, remember that the e is silent, and attach the d sound to the z sound in one breath: suppozd. The time of BE supposed to is expressed in BE. Supposed is invariable (never changes). I'm supposed to leave soon. We're supposed to. . . . He's supposed to. . . . John and Mary are supposed to. . . . I was supposed to. . . . They weren't supposed to. . . . Like all modal verbs, BE supposed to is followed by a simple verb. Function BE supposed to is very similar to should in meaning. Like should, you can use BE supposed to express social or moral duty or obligation to act. The difference between the two is as follows: Should is concentrated in the subject. I should call him today. Tom should let me know what he's decided. They shouldn't spend all their money. The above three actions (call, let know, and spend) are the duties or obligations of I, Tom, and they. BE supposed to is concerned with the subject and with any/all other people affected by the action. Use BE supposed to when implying a promise or an agreement, to behave in a certain way. For example: I'm supposed to call him today. (Indicates that I promised I would.) Tom is supposed to let me know what he's decided. (He and I agreed that he would let me know.) They're not supposed to spend all their money. (Indicates that they have promised not to spend it, or have been told not to do so.) The same similarities and differences exist between functions of these modals in the past: Henry should have finished this job yesterday. Henry was supposed to finish this job yesterday. In both the above examples, Henry did not finish. The second example places more stress on the broken agreement. We weren't supposed to promise them anything. We shouldn't have promised them anything. In both instances above, we did promise them; we did the wrong thing. * In the first example, we had been told not to promise them anything. * In the second example, we are expressing our regret at having promised them. USAGE notes for ATTORNEYS (1) Use should when making legal arguments. [5] For example: “This court should find my client not liable due to defendant’s failure to prove any of his allegations.” “The client should not proceed with this transaction until we get a no-action letter from the SEC.” Note - You cannot use “BE supposed to” in this way. (2) Unlike should, must, and may, “BE supposed to” does not have a clear status in terms of legally binding consequences. [6] If you are not sure whether the other side’s lawyers are discussing legally binding conduct – ASK!! GRAMMAR NOTE: The past form of BE supposed to -- was/were supposed to + simple verb I was supposed to arrive at 3:00. They weren't supposed to say anything. The past form of should -- should have + past participle I at 3:00. They shouldn't have said anything. SUPPOSEDLY The adverb supposedly has its own, distinct meaning. It means allegedly. * Whereas allegedly is a “trade term” used exclusively by lawyers, supposedly can be used in any setting or situation. For example: A: Is Elizabeth going to help us? B: Supposedly. When B answers A using “supposedly,” he is conveying two messages, not one: 1. Elizabeth promised to help. 2. B doubts that Elizabeth will keep her promise. Another example: X: Why didn’t Mike get the brief written last night? Y: His wife called around 6:00 p.m. Supposedly their son was sick and he needed to take him to the hospital. In response to X’s question, Y is is conveying the following messages: 1. Mike’s wife called around 6:00 p.m. [no doubt – simple statement of fact] 2. Mike’s wife told Y that their son was sick and that Mike had to leave the office and take the kid to the hospital. [a re-statement of Mike’s wife’s words to Y] 3. Y doesn’t really believe Mike’s story. Pronunciation Note: The adverb supposedly is pronounced differently from suppose and supposed. There is an extra syllable in supposedly. You need to pronounce the syllable supposedly. You still stress the second syllable, and say the s like z – sup-poz-ed-ly. SUPPOSE BE SUPPOSED TO Exercises Directions: Convert the following sentences from should to the appropriate BE supposed to form. For Example: They shouldn’t drive downtown. Parking is outrageously expensive in the loop. They’re not supposed to drive downtown. 1. He should keep us posted on any changes. 2. I should let them know something one way or another. 3. They should have discussed the details with their partners. 4. He shouldn't have given new associates so much responsibility. 5. You should have contacted me when you heard from them. 6. I recently subscribed to Time magazine. I should be getting my first issue some time this week. Directions: Convert the following sentences from BE supposed to to should. 1. She's supposed to get back to me later on today. 2. He's not supposed to discuss these issues with anyone outside the office. 3. John was supposed to be here an hour ago. 4. We weren't supposed to tell him anything. 5. My paralegal is supposed to have everything filed by 3:00 today. 6. I was supposed to give them my feedback yesterday. SUPPOSE BE SUPPOSED TO Answers to Exercises Directions: Convert the following sentences from should to the appropriate BE supposed to form. 1. He should keep us posted on any changes. He's supposed to keep us posted on any changes. 2. I should let them know something one way or another. I'm supposed to let them know something one way or another. 3. They should have discussed the details with their partners. They were supposed to discuss the details with their partners. 4. He shouldn't have given new associates so much responsibility. He was not supposed to give new associates so much responsibility. 5. You should have contacted me when you heard from them. You were supposed to contact me when you heard from them. 6. I should be getting my first issue some time this week. I'm supposed to be getting (I'm supposed to get) my first issue some time this week. Directions: Convert the following sentences from BE supposed to to should. 1. She's supposed to get back to me later on today. She should get back to me later on today. 2. He's not supposed to discuss these issues with anyone outside the office. He shouldn't discuss these issues with anyone outside the office. 3. John was supposed to be here an hour ago. John should have been here an hour ago. 4. We weren't supposed to tell him anything. We shouldn't have told him anything. 5. My paralegal is supposed to have everything filed by 3:00 today. My paralegal should have everything filed by 3:00 today. 6. I was supposed to give them my feedback yesterday. I should have given them my feedback yesterday. ________________________________ [1] See first example on the top of the page – conversation between A and B. [2] Subject + verb [3] Conversation between X and Y on the top of this page. [4] The exception to this rule is the “hot pursuit” rule. [5] Remember that should cannot express legal duty to act or refrain from acting. You can use should, however, to argue for a change in the law, or to argue for a preferred legal decision. [6] Must commands or requires conduct. Non-conformity, therefore, will have legal consequences. May authorizes or allows action. The government may not deny the party involved the right to engage in the authorized conduct without due process of law. Finally, should has no legal force. All three are clear, therefore, in relationship to the law (may and must bind; should does not.)