Grammar: giving advice

Modals for giving advice:

had better, should and ought
 Introduction
 English speakers use the modal verbs “should,” “ought
to” and “had better” to express that they think
something is a good (or a bad) idea. “Should” is the
most common way to give advice.
 These modals, however, are not used in polite requests.
 Ought to and had better are more commonly found in
spoken English than in written English.
 Should have +past participle and ought to have + past
participle are the past form of should and ought
respectively.
 The past forms are used to express regret or activities
supposed to happen but did not actually take place.
 1. Had better
 We use ‘had better’ to give strong advice or to tell people
what to do. It implies a negative consequence if the listener
doesn't follow the advice.
Examples:
1. You’d better turn down that music before the teacher gets
angry.
2. It’s seven o’clock. You had better put the meat in the oven.
 ‘Had better’ refers to the immediate future. It’s stronger and
more urgent than should or ought to. Look at this dialogue:
Ali: I really ought to go and see Hiwot one of these days.
Ujulu: You had better do it soon; she is leaving for

London next week.

 Had better refers to the immediate future, but the form is
always past.
 After had better, we use an infinitive without to.
Example: It’s late! You had better hurry up.

 We normally make the negative with had better not +

infinitive.
Example: You had better not wake me up when you come in.
 You hadn’t better wake me up … is possible but very
unusual.
 A negative interrogative form Hadn’t … better… is
possible.
Example: Hadn’t we better tell him the truth?
 In general, ‘Had better’ is stronger than should and ought
to. Had better carries an indirect threat. That, is had better
is not used in polite requests. Compare the meaning
difference between the following:
1. Could you help me?
2. You had better help me.

Exercise:
Write a dialogue by using had better.
 2. Ought

 Ought is a modal verb. It is used with an infinitive with to.

Example: We ought to resume classes.
 However, to is not used in question tags.
Example: We ought to resume classes, oughtn’t we?
 In negative clauses, not comes before to.

Example: You ought not to go now; I need your help.

 In American English, interrogative and contracted
negative forms of ought are rare; should is generally used
instead.

Example: We ought to resume classes, shouldn’t we?

 In most cases, SHOULD and OUG are used
interchangeably. Both SHOULD and OUGHT are used to
express advice, obligation or duty.

 We can use ought to advise people to do things; to tell

people that they have a duty to do things.
Example: People ought not to drive like this.
 3. Should
 Should can be used instead of must to make instructions
sound more polite.
Example: Applications should be sent by 13 January 2020.

 Should is much more frequent than ought.

 Exercise

Directions: Fill in the blanks with the correct

modals of advice.
1. The movie starts in ten minutes. We _____ hurry up.
2. I ______ to pay my bills today.
3. You ________ leave your car unlocked in the middle
of the city. You ________ lock it before we go into the
restaurant.
4. I wish I _____ eaten all those fish. I am feeling sick
now.
5. You cannot wear shorts and a T-shirt to a job
interview. You _______ change clothes before you go.
Fire and Ice
BY ROBERT FROST

S o me s ay the world will e nd in fire ,

S o me s ay in ice .
From what I’ve tas te d of de s ire
I hold with thos e who favor fire .
But if it had to pe ris h twice ,
I think I know e nough of hate
To s a y that for de s truction ice
Is als o g re at
And would s uffice .

1. Do you think tha t fire a nd ice ha ve be e n us e d lite ra lly in Fros t’s poe m?
Why?
2. How doe s de s ire ca us e fire a ccording to the poe m?
3. Wha t is the the me of the poe m?