Re: [Lingo] Usage of "should"

[steve <sjs@example.com>]

On 05/30/2012 07:24 PM, Nava Whiteford wrote:

I hope my suggestions are useful, someone else may be able to offer better advice.

In the sentence: "Contingent response: the actions to be taken should the risk event actually occur"

...

3. Usage of "should" like this are common at the front desk of hotels :), not technical English :)

It's not technical, but also not casual English.

First, I agree with everything Jim, David and Nava said.

This sentence is a definition of "Contingent response."  You could write "The contingent response is what to do if the risk event happens." 

Should is used like this most often in written communication and very rarely in conversation.   I don't think I have ever heard someone in the US use should in this way in conversation.

I had a hard time not writing the sentence as
        Contingent response is what you should do if the risk event happens.
This is a more typical use of should.

Hope this helped.

Steve