Should, Ought to and Had Better Flashcards
Use should and Ought to, to obligations, recommendations, and probability.
Use Ought to in speech to obligations.
You should/ought to finish your homework before you go out.
It should/ought to be ready by now.
To conclude, use must not should nor ought to.
It’s the third time she is skating today. She must enjoy it.
Use should when an authority recommends.
The manual says the computer should be disconnected before clean it.
To give advice with I, use Should or Would, not ought to.
I should leave early tomorrow, if I were you.
WH-questions use Should.
What should I do if I have any problems?
Should I ring you at home?
Use SHOULD or OUGHT TO + HAVE + PP for things we are sorry didn’t happen in the past and expectations.
We should (ought to) have waited for the rain to stop.
if the flight was on time, he should (ought to) have arrived early this morning.
In questions about offers, requests or advice, use SHOULD.
Should I phone for a taxi for you?
Who should I pass the message to?
Compare the use of SHALL and SHOULD:
I shall read the paper on the train tomorrow. (or I will)
I should read the paper on the train tomorrow, but I know I’ll be tired.
In spoken English we can use HAD BETTER for a thing we think is better to do.
If you are not well, you’d better ask Clare to go instead.
Use HAD BETTER in urgencies, demands and threats.
There’s someone moving about downstairs. We’d better call the police, quickly.
Use had better not in negatives, and Had subject better in questions.
He had better not be late again, or he will be in trouble.
Had we better get a cab?
