Should have vs. Should of

Should have

/ʃʊd həv/

A phrase indicating that something was ideal or advisable in the past, but did not happen.

By now, we should have received the package.You should have asked her before making changes.They should have known the rules by now.

This word has no synonyms

This word has no antonyms

/ʃʊd əv/

This is a common mistaken contraction in place of 'should have'.

He says he should of called you sooner.You should of seen the surprise on her face.I should of known better than to trust him.

This word has no antonyms

Should have is the correct grammatical form, while should of is a common mistake created by the similarity in sound when spoken quickly.
Think of should have as containing the helping verb have necessary for perfect tenses.
Remember that should of does not make sense because of is a preposition, not a verb.
Visualize should have as contracted to shouldve, which sounds like should of, but isnt written that way.
Use have, not of, after modal verbs like should, would, and could to stay grammatical.