UNDERSTANDING MODAL OF ADVISABILITY (Should, ought to and had better)

In understanding modal advisability, there are three modal that can be used, they are Should, Ought to and had better. Now, let us check its using and differences out.

Should and ought to have the same meaning, both of them express about advisability. And they are also having some meanings in the context, meaning as a suggestion (this is good idea) and meaning as a responsibility or duty (this is very important to do).  Examples as follows:

Meaning as a suggestion
You should leave  your sadness (jones J)	Should + V1 ( No to )
You ought to leave your sadness	Ought +  to + V1

The examples above have the meaning suggestion, in other hand, the pronoun you in that sentence may or may not leave his sadness.

Meaning as a responsibility or duty
Every applicant should pay attention the rule	Should + V1 ( No to )
Every applicant ought to pay attention the rule	Ought +  to + V1

We can see from examples above that every applicant should (or has responsibility to) pay attention for the rule.

Modal should can be made as negative by adding Not after Should.

Composition	Negative Form	Contraction
Should +  Not	Should not	Shouldn’t

Ought to is not commonly used in negative form, if it is used in negative form, the word to is often dropped: You oughtn’t come in.

Modal ought to is pronounced as “otta” in informal speaking.

Modal ought to is not used in questions as Should.

Questions	Status
I love her very much, what should I do?	Right
I love her very much, what ought to I do?	Wrong
I love her very much, what ought I to do?	Wrong

Modal had better has similar meaning with should and ought to, but had better is stronger than them. Modal had better is followed by V1.

Examples:

The gas tank is still enough for running, maybe we should refill in order we do not fill it tomorrow.	The pronoun we in the sentence are may or may not to refill the gas, because the gas is still enough.
The gas tank is almost empty; we had better stop at the next gas station.	Had better in the sentence stronger than should and ought to.

Modal had better often implies a warning or a threat of possible bad consequences.

Examples:

Statement	Consequence
If you don't slow down, there could be a bad result.	You had better slow down
The children cannot play fireworks alone.	The children had better accompanied by an adult.

Although had better has the shape of past tense (had) but had better has the meaning of present and future.

Example:

Statement	Status
You had better sleep, in order do not disturb me!	When the speaker is saying, the pronoun you in the sentence is still not sleep, the pronoun you may be will sleep after the speaker finish his saying. So, that is called as present and future tense.  Nggak paham? J

Had better also can be contacted with pronoun, as ‘d better.

Examples:

I’d better

We’d better

You’d better

She’d better

Etc.

The End