Should

[henryh]

Hello there,

Can the modal auxiliary 'should' refer to future as in the examples? Are they correct or which ones are incorrect?

1 I should do my homework tonight.
2 I should be doing my homework when they arrive.
3 I should have done my homework by the time they come home.
4 I should have been doing my homework for an hour when they get home.

The sam questions. What about these sentences?

5 I should be doing my homework now.
6 I should have done my homework by now.
7 I should have been doing my homework for an hour.
8 I should have done my homework yesterday.
9 I should have done my homework by the time my parents got home.
10 I should have been doing my homework when you phoned.

Which ones are okay to use?

Thanks.[/u]

[matthau]

Number 1 sounds odd. The others are OK. Though 'should' has different meanings in them - expectation, desirability, etc.
In #1 I would use 'have to' / need to / must.