How to use Had better

Had better for advice

Another free lesson from Learn English Languagewell

We use it in the English language to give advice about specific situations, not general situations.

  —- You had better finish your homework before mummy comes home or she won’t be happy.

“had” is the past form of the verb “have”, but in the structure “had better” it refers to present/future time

Structure

subject + had + better + short infinitive of  verb

You + had + better + finish. = You had better finish your homework

or

subject + had + better + not + short infinitive of  verb

You + had + better + not + say = You had better not tell your teacher what had happened.

Examples:

• The roads will be very busy tomorrow, we had better leave early.
• I don’t have enough money, I’d better go to the bank and get some more. (I’d = I had)
• John wants to run a marathon next year. He had better start training soon or he won’t be fit enough.
• It’s going to rain today, you had better take an umbrella.
• When you get home you had better not make a lot of noise, your father is sleeping.

Practise using “had better” “had better not” using this exercise

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