Advice & Warnings
Learn how to tell people what they should do, and what to avoid!
Strong Advice 💡
Warnings ⚠️
Soft Suggestions 💬
"Had better" means NOW or FUTURE!
(Meaning: You should go now, or you will be late!)
Quick Check ⚡
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Mission 🎯
Mission 🎯
Mission 🎯
Video Lesson
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Recent Questions
Great question, Sovan! "Should" is just general advice (it's a good idea). "Had better" is stronger; it's almost a warning. It implies that if you DON'T do it, something bad will happen. (e.g. "You had better study, or you will fail the test!"). ⚠️
Why do we say "If I WERE you" instead of "If I WAS you"? I = was!
You are right that normally we say "I was". However, when we are talking about unreal or imaginary situations (like pretending to be someone else), we use a special grammar mood called the "Subjunctive". In this mood, "was" becomes "were" for all subjects! ✨
Can I use "Ought to" in questions? Like "Ought I to go?"
It is grammatically possible, but it sounds very old-fashioned and awkward! In modern English, we almost always just use "Should" for questions. (e.g. "Should I go?"). We mainly keep "ought to" for positive statements. 🗣️
What is the exact difference between "should" and "had better"? They seem the same to me.