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It's grammatical to use "should" like "if":

  • Should you need me, call.
  • I'll be available should she ask for me.
  • Should my mother call, let her know I'll be back shortly.

It's also grammatical to use "should" for "would":

  • If you call me, I should hope that I answer.
  • When I ask you a question, I should expect that you not lie to me.
  • Were you not to seize this opportunity, I should think you mad.

HOWEVER, is it grammatical to use both of these grammatical conventions at the same time? In a conditional sentence, can "should" be used in both the protasis and the apodosis?

Examples:

  • Should you desire to go, I should hope you do. (If you desire to go, I would hope you do.)

  • Should he come, I should like to meet him. (If he comes, I'd like to meet him.)

  • We should expect a call from you should there be any problem. (We would expect a call from you if there's any problem.)
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    They all sound rather dated and effected, with sentence 3 sounding the most "modern". I don't see any reason why they are not grammatical. But I'd replace the the "should hope you do" with "would" for reasons of clarity. Let's see what someone else says, I'll be just as interested to hear their thoughts.
    – Mari-Lou A
    Jan 16, 2016 at 8:06
  • @Mari-Lou A : I should be devastated should no one else answer.
    – Benjamin Harman
    Jan 16, 2016 at 8:11
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    What would you do should this question be found duplicate? +1)
    – user140086
    Jan 16, 2016 at 8:12
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    I should be punished.
    – user140086
    Jan 16, 2016 at 8:15
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    Should you use should to mean "if" and should to mean "would" in the same sentence, I should hope that you not do so within earshot of me.
    – user152004
    Jan 16, 2016 at 8:47

2 Answers 2

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It's perfectly possible to use two shoulds in the same conditional:

Should anyone phone asking when the drilling's going to stop, I should imagine we'll all be finished by 2 o'clock.

Of course, it's not strictly accurate to think that the first should here is replacing if. Here's the same sentence with if reinserted:

If anyone should phone asking when the drilling's going to stop, I should imagine we'll all be finished by 2 o'clock.

Here we can see both if and should together in the same protasis. The first sentence uses subject-auxiliary inversion to mark the conditional protasis. The if has been dropped and the Subject, anyone and the auxiliary verb should have changed places.

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  • Much like saying, "Were anyone to phone," the inversion negates the "if." (If anyone were to phone)
    – Benjamin Harman
    Jan 16, 2016 at 11:35
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    @BenjaminHarman Exactly so.
    – Araucaria - Him
    Jan 16, 2016 at 12:04
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The short answer is no, it is not.

The first trio of sentences is fine.

There's a problem with the second haiku:

If you call me, I should hope that I answer.

I don't know what this means. It sounds needlessly paranoid.

When I ask you a question, I should expect that you not lie to me.

Doesn't make much sense in American English. Some Brits would find it kind of awkward too.

Were you not to seize this opportunity, I should think you mad.

In British English, maybe. Does sound a bit strained, though.

The third group is a total mess. Probably because ... uh ... what did you call it? ... the protasis ... and what's-that-other-one-called ... should not ... ha, ha ... should not be the same word? Yeah, that's gotta be it.

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