Should, Ought To, and Had Better
Should, ought to, and had better are essential modal verbs for expressing advice, recommendations, moral obligations, and expectations in English. These sophisticated modals allow you to communicate what you believe is the right course of action, what is morally appropriate, and what consequences might follow from certain choices. They are fundamental for giving guidance and expressing judgements diplomatically.
Each modal carries different levels of strength and formality. Should is the most common and versatile, suitable for general advice and recommendations. Ought to is more formal and often implies moral duty or strong expectation. Had better suggests urgency and potential negative consequences, making it stronger than should but less formal than ought to.
These modals are crucial for professional communication, academic writing, and social interaction where you need to express opinions about what is appropriate, advisable, or expected. They help you give advice without being too direct, express criticism constructively, and discuss what would be best in various situations whilst maintaining appropriate social relationships.
Mastering should, ought to, and had better will enable you to participate effectively in discussions about choices, give helpful advice, express expectations diplomatically, and navigate the complex social dynamics of recommendation and guidance in English-speaking environments. These modals are essential for anyone who needs to advise, evaluate, or express informed opinions about appropriate action.
Formation
Should
Subject + should + base verb
Advice, recommendations, expectations, and mild obligation
Positive:
- You should see a doctor.
- We should leave early.
- She should study harder.
- They should be here soon.
Negative:
- You shouldn't smoke.
- We shouldn't be late.
- She shouldn't worry.
- They shouldn't drive tonight.
Questions:
- Should I call her?
- Should we book tickets?
- Should they wait for us?
- What should I do?
Ought To
Subject + ought to + base verb
Moral obligation, strong expectation, formal advice
Positive:
- You ought to apologise.
- We ought to help them.
- She ought to know better.
- They ought to be grateful.
Negative:
- You ought not to lie.
- We oughtn't to judge.
- She ought not to worry.
- They oughtn't to complain.
Questions:
- Ought I to tell him?
- Ought we to wait?
- Oughtn't she to know?
- What ought I to do?
Note: Questions with ought to are quite formal and less common
Had Better
Subject + had better + base verb
Strong advice with implied consequences, urgency
Positive:
- You had better hurry.
- We 'd better leave now.
- She had better call back.
- They 'd better be careful.
Negative:
- You had better not be late.
- We 'd better not wait.
- She had better not forget.
- They 'd better not complain.
Questions:
- Had I better call?
- Hadn't we better leave?
- Had she better not go?
- What had I better do?
Note: Questions with had better are less common than statements
Perfect Forms (Past Criticism/Regret)
Subject + should/ought to + have + past participle
Criticism about past actions, regret, what was the right thing to do
Should have:
- You should have called me.
- We should have left earlier.
- She shouldn't have said that.
- They should have been more careful.
Ought to have:
- You ought to have known better.
- We ought to have helped them.
- She oughtn't to have worried.
- They ought to have been grateful.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
❌ "You should to call her."
✅ "You should call her."
Don't use 'to' after 'should' - it takes the base form
❌ "She shoulds be here soon."
✅ "She should be here soon."
Modal verbs don't change form - no 's' for third person singular
❌ "I better had leave now."
✅ "I had better leave now."
The correct order is 'had better', not 'better had'
❌ "You ought call your mother."
✅ "You ought to call your mother."
'Ought' must be followed by 'to' before the base verb
❌ "I should have went earlier."
✅ "I should have gone earlier."
Use past participle (gone), not past tense (went) after 'have'
Strength and Formality Levels
From strongest to weakest advice:
Choosing the Right Modal for Context
Casual situations:
- Should: Should: "You should try this restaurant"
- Had better: Had better: "We'd better go home"
- Ought to: Ought to: Less common in casual speech
Professional contexts:
- Should: Should: "We should review the proposal"
- Ought to: Ought to: "Companies ought to be responsible"
- Had better: Had better: Use carefully (can sound threatening)
Academic writing:
- Should: Should: "Further research should examine..."
- Ought to: Ought to: "Governments ought to consider..."
- Had better: Had better: Rarely used in academic writing
Time References and Perfect Forms
Present/Future advice:
"You should call her today. / You ought to visit them soon."
Past criticism/regret:
"You should have called her yesterday. / You ought to have visited them."
Expectations about past:
"She should have arrived by now. (but we don't know if she has)"
Had better (present/future only):
"You had better leave now. (No past form: had better have left ❌)"
Accepting and Declining Advice
Accepting advice:
- "Yes, you're right. I should..."
- "That's good advice. I'll..."
- "I think I ought to..."
- "You're absolutely right."
Politely declining:
- "I know I should, but..."
- "That's a good idea, however..."
- "I appreciate the advice, but..."
- "I'll think about it."
Quick Reference Guide
Key Points:
- Should: General advice, recommendations, expectations, mild obligation
- Ought to: Moral obligation, formal advice, stronger than should
- Had better: Strong advice with consequences, urgency implied
- Perfect forms: Should/ought to + have = past criticism and regret
- Strength order: Must > Had better > Ought to > Should > Could
- Formality: Ought to is most formal, had better least formal
- Negative: shouldn't, ought not to/oughtn't to, had better not
- Questions: Should I...? (common), Ought I to...? (formal), Had I better...? (rare)
- Context matters: Choose based on relationship and situation