Advisability : SHOULD , OUGHT TO , HAD BETTER

Advisability : SHOULD , OUGHT TO , HAD BETTER

1. Should and ought to have the same meaning; they express advisability. The meaning ranges in strength from a suggestion ( “ this is a good idea “ ) to a statement about responsibility or duty(“ this is a very important thing to do” )

Example :

a. You should study harder

  You ought to study harder

b. Drivers should obey the speed limit

  Drivers ought to obey the speed limit

Note :

In (a). this is a good idea. This is my advice.

In (b). this is an important responsibility

Negative contractions:

- you shouldn’t leave your keys in the car

Note : ougt to is not commonly used in the negative. If it is used in the negative, the to is sometimes dropped. You oughtn’t (to) leave your keys in the car

2. Ought to is often pronounced” otta “ in informal speaking

Example :

- I ought to (“otta”)study tonight, but I think I’ll watch tv instead

3. In meaning had better is close to should/ought to but had better is usually stronger.often had better implies a warning or a threat of possible bad consequences.

a. The gas tank is almost empty. We had better stop  at next services station

b. You had better take care of that cut on your hand soon, or it will get infected

Note  :

In (a). if we don’t stop at a service station, there will be a bad result. We will run out of gas

THE USE OF HAD BETTER :

- it has a present or future meaning

- It is followed by the simple form of a verb

- It is more common in speaking than writing

Contraction : ’d better , sometimes in speaking , had is dropped

a. You’d better take care of it

b. You better take care of it

Negative form : had better + not

- you’d better not be late