Learn English – “There should be someone at the reception desk”

phrase-meaning

  1. "There should be someone at the reception desk" (affirmative sentence)

I believe this sentence is correct and also next one.

  1. "Shouldn´t there be someone at the reception desk?

but what about the 3rd?

  1. "Should there be someone at the reception desk?

and with must?

  1. "There must be someone here" (affirmative sentence)
  2. "Mustn´t there be someone here?"
  3. "Must there be someone here?"

Somehow I feel that N°s 3 & 6 are not correct or are they? Please help. Thank you.

Best Answer

All of your segments are correct and understandable, intonation and context can be key, here are some possible scenarios for each of them

1) There should be someone at the reception desk.
bellhop telling hotel guest to see someone at reception

2) Shouldn´t there be someone at the reception desk?
hotel guest telling bellhop wondering why is no one at the reception desk

3) Should there be someone at the reception desk?
do we need someone at the reception desk?
hotel manager asking if it is necessary to have someone at the reception desk
hotel guest asking why no one is at the reception desk

4) There must be someone here!
hotel guest screaming in an empty hotel not being able to find anyone

5) Mustn´t there be someone here?
why is nobody here?
hotel guest asking cab driver when being dropped off at an apparently empty hotel

6) Must there be someone here?
why does someone need to be here?
does someone really need to be here?

Should there be someone...

is used when someone is not there but is supposed to be there and one is wondering why they are not there.

Must there be someone...

is used when someone is there and one is questioning the necessity of them being there.