Indicating obligation and willingness
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Using semi-modal verbs to indicate obligation | page 4 of 5 |
Indicating suggested obligation
With suggested obligation, the person referred to (often the hearer) has more choice. This can be glossed as advice and hints.
The two semi-modals which are typically used to offer advice and hints are had better and had better not:
If you think this year will be your year on that great annual leveller, the race over the 100-kilometre MacLehose Trail, you had better get organised. (SCMP 29/7/92.)You'd better watch out, you'd better not cry;
You'd better not pout - I'm telling you why:
Santa Claus is coming to town! (Christmas Song.)
The unit You had better is normally expressed as You'd better in informal spoken English but often speakers leave off the had completely so that it sounds like You better. This is considered slangy or ungrammatical by many people, but it is nevertheless very common, especially in American English.
Introduction
Indicating suggested obligation
