ADVISABILITY: SHOULD, OUGHT TO, HAD BETTER
By: Komang Wisnu Subagia S.Pd.
a. You should study harder.
You ought to study harder.
b. Drivers should obey the speed limit.
Drivers ought to obey the speed limit.
c. You shouldn’t leave your keys in the car
d. I ought to (“otta”) study tonite, but I think Ought to is often pronounced “otta” in informal
I’ll watch TV instead.
e. The gas tank is almost empty. We had
better stop at the next service station.
f. You had better take care of that cut on
your hand soon, or it will be infected.
g. You’d better take care of it.
h. You better take care of it.
i. You’d better not be late.
Should and Ought to have the same meaning, they
epress advisability. The meaning ranges in strength
from suggestion (“This is a good idea”) to a
statement about responsibility or duty (“This is a
very important thing to do”). In (a) “This is a good
idea. “This is my advice.” In (b) “This is an
important responsilbilty”.
Negative contraction: shouldn’t
speaking.
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. In (e): if we don’t stop at a
service station, there will be a bad result. We will
run out of the gas.
Notes: on the use of had better
. It has a present of future meaning.
. It is followed by the simple form of a verb.
. It is more common in speaking than writing.
Contraction: ‘d better, as in (g).
Sometimes in speaking, had is dropped, as in (h).
Negative form : had better + not
Exercise 11. Should, Ought to, Had better.

Example

Speker A : I have a test tomorrow.

Speaker B : You should study tonite.

1. I’m writing a composition, and there is a word I don’t know to spell.

2. I don’t feel well. I thing I’m cathing a cold.
3. I’m cold
4. My roomate is too noisy and i can’t sleep.
5. My foot is asleep.
6. My apartement is a mess, and my mother si coming to visit tomorrow!
7. I need to improve my English.
8. I have toothache.
9. I can’t stop yawning.
10. I have the hiccups.