6.4.1: Could/Should/Ought to/Had Better
- Page ID
- 269954
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\(\newcommand{\avec}{\mathbf a}\) \(\newcommand{\bvec}{\mathbf b}\) \(\newcommand{\cvec}{\mathbf c}\) \(\newcommand{\dvec}{\mathbf d}\) \(\newcommand{\dtil}{\widetilde{\mathbf d}}\) \(\newcommand{\evec}{\mathbf e}\) \(\newcommand{\fvec}{\mathbf f}\) \(\newcommand{\nvec}{\mathbf n}\) \(\newcommand{\pvec}{\mathbf p}\) \(\newcommand{\qvec}{\mathbf q}\) \(\newcommand{\svec}{\mathbf s}\) \(\newcommand{\tvec}{\mathbf t}\) \(\newcommand{\uvec}{\mathbf u}\) \(\newcommand{\vvec}{\mathbf v}\) \(\newcommand{\wvec}{\mathbf w}\) \(\newcommand{\xvec}{\mathbf x}\) \(\newcommand{\yvec}{\mathbf y}\) \(\newcommand{\zvec}{\mathbf z}\) \(\newcommand{\rvec}{\mathbf r}\) \(\newcommand{\mvec}{\mathbf m}\) \(\newcommand{\zerovec}{\mathbf 0}\) \(\newcommand{\onevec}{\mathbf 1}\) \(\newcommand{\real}{\mathbb R}\) \(\newcommand{\twovec}[2]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\ctwovec}[2]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\threevec}[3]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\cthreevec}[3]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\fourvec}[4]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\cfourvec}[4]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\fivevec}[5]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \\ #5 \\ \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\cfivevec}[5]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \\ #5 \\ \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\mattwo}[4]{\left[\begin{array}{rr}#1 \amp #2 \\ #3 \amp #4 \\ \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\laspan}[1]{\text{Span}\{#1\}}\) \(\newcommand{\bcal}{\cal B}\) \(\newcommand{\ccal}{\cal C}\) \(\newcommand{\scal}{\cal S}\) \(\newcommand{\wcal}{\cal W}\) \(\newcommand{\ecal}{\cal E}\) \(\newcommand{\coords}[2]{\left\{#1\right\}_{#2}}\) \(\newcommand{\gray}[1]{\color{gray}{#1}}\) \(\newcommand{\lgray}[1]{\color{lightgray}{#1}}\) \(\newcommand{\rank}{\operatorname{rank}}\) \(\newcommand{\row}{\text{Row}}\) \(\newcommand{\col}{\text{Col}}\) \(\renewcommand{\row}{\text{Row}}\) \(\newcommand{\nul}{\text{Nul}}\) \(\newcommand{\var}{\text{Var}}\) \(\newcommand{\corr}{\text{corr}}\) \(\newcommand{\len}[1]{\left|#1\right|}\) \(\newcommand{\bbar}{\overline{\bvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\bhat}{\widehat{\bvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\bperp}{\bvec^\perp}\) \(\newcommand{\xhat}{\widehat{\xvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\vhat}{\widehat{\vvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\uhat}{\widehat{\uvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\what}{\widehat{\wvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\Sighat}{\widehat{\Sigma}}\) \(\newcommand{\lt}{<}\) \(\newcommand{\gt}{>}\) \(\newcommand{\amp}{&}\) \(\definecolor{fillinmathshade}{gray}{0.9}\)Options and Advice — Could vs. Should
| COULD | |
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Oh no! My wallet isn't here in my bag. |
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| MODAL | BASE VERB |
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You could |
go back to where you last opened your bag and look around. |
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You could |
walk back along the way you just walked. |
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You could |
search the pockets of your bag / backpack. |
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You could |
ask people if they have seen it. |
Could expresses an idea, option or solution for someone else to take. Could does not express judgment about what is "right" to do. Could leaves the decision making to the other person. It can be used when the other person is 1) a peer (same status, rank, age), 2) is an acquaintance, 3) is greater in status (different rank, social level).| SHOULD | |
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Oh no! My wallet isn't here in my bag. (peer to peer) |
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| MODAL | BASE VERB |
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You should |
check the places you have been today. |
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You should |
cancel your credit cards. |
Should expresses opinion about a smart action for someone else to take. Should expresses advice about what is "good" to do. It is used to influence or affect the other person's decision-making. It is used in situations where the other person is [1] a peer (same status, rank, age) [2] is familiar (well known), [3] or is a family member.| OUGHT (TO) / IT'S A GOOD IDEA | |
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| OUGHT | INFINITIVE |
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You ought |
to use your car less. |
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You really ought |
to leave your car in your garage. |
Ought to acts very much like a modal except that it is used with "to+verb" (the infinitive form) You can add "really" after the subject to make the idea stronger. Ought to is not usually used in negatives or questions.Exercise 4.1
Asking for and Giving Advice
Below are five short conversations where people are asking for and giving advice. Complete the questions with should, along with an appropriate subject and the verb in parentheses. Then write an answer. You can use should or ought to along with an appropriate subject and a verb from the list. You will use all of the verbs. Use “get” two times.
talk get (2) study walk charge take
1. At the Doctor's Office
A: I’ve been feeling tired all the time. What do you think ____________________ (do)?
B: You ____________________ more sleep and drink plenty of water.
2. A: I have a vocabulary quiz tomorrow. How ____________________ (study) for it?
B: You ____________________ with a flashcard website like Quizlet.
3. At a Restaurant
A: I’m not sure what to order. What ________________________ (choose)?
B: You ____________________ the pasta, it’s very popular here.
4. At a Friend's House
A: My phone battery is about to die. What __________ __________ (do)?
B: You ____________________ your phone at the station in the student center.
5. In a Park
A: I want to get more exercise. What ____________________ (do)?
B: ____________________ or run around the park every morning.
6. Outside of a movie theater
A: We’ve been sitting for hours. What do you think ___________________ (do) now?
B: I think we ____________________ a walk to stretch our legs.
7. On the phone with a friend
A: My husband has been feeling stressed about work lately. What __________________ (do)?
B: He ____________________ to his boss and see if he can get some help with his tasks.
Had Better
Strong Advisability
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Had better refers to the immediate future and is used to give strong advice (in some cases threatening advice!) It is more urgent than should or ought to. It is often used as a warning that something bad could happen. The had in had better does not behave like other auxiliary verbs. |
| FORM |
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You had better close the door open or (else) all the heat will go out. |
| NEGATIVE |
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You had better not close the door or the cat will be trapped inside. |
| HAD BETTER REFERS TO FUTURE ACTIONS ( NOT PAST) |
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You had better close the door. (future) You had to close the door. (past requirement or necessity) |
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It was a good idea to close the door. (reworded to past) |
| HAD BETTER ERRORS |
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Had does not change form for tense or person. It always refers to the near future. Had is followed by not in a negative question but not in an positive question. Had better is always followed by the plain form (base) verb. |
| HAD + BETTER + BASE FORM — ONLY! |
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Wrong!
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Wrong!
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| HAD BETTER → NOT |
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Wrong!
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Exercise 4.2: Should / Had Better
Take turns reading each problem below and offering logical advice to each other.
You may use either ‘should’ or ‘had better’ in your response depending on how serious the problem is. Some questions may have two possible answers.
1. I totally forgot to do my homework. My teacher is going to be mad! What should I do?
2. I borrowed my mom’s car without her permission. Then I got in an accident! Now the car has a huge dent. My mom is going to kill me! What am I going to do?
3. It’s our wedding anniversary today and I totally forgot! My husband/wife is going to kill me! What should I do?
4. I borrowed my friend’s sweater and went to a party. Someone spilled some red wine on it! It has a huge stain! What am I going to do?
5. My friend’s boyfriend/girlfriend is cheating on him/her. But my friend doesn’t know anything about it. What should I do?
6. It’s my mom’s birthday today and I forgot to get her a gift. What should Io do?
7. I can’t stand my neighbors. They have loud parties every night. I can’t sleep at all. What am I going to do?
8. I hate my job! My boss is mean. I have to work overtime all the time. What should I do?
Could vs Should, Ought to and Had Better Adapted from: Grammar Quizzes by Julie Sevastopoulos are licensed for use under CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 International.