Had Better

Using "Had Better" in Present, Past, and Future

Most modal verbs behave quite irregularly in the past and the future. Study the chart below to learn how "had better" behaves in different contexts.

Use	Positive Forms 1. = Present   2. = Past   3. = Future	Negative Forms 1. = Present   2. = Past   3. = Future	You can also use:
had better recommendation	1. SHIFT TO "SHOULD" OR "OUGHT TO" People should unplug toasters before they clean them.2. SHIFT TO "SHOULD HAVE" OR "OUGHT TO HAVE" You should have unplugged the toaster before you tried to clean it. 3. You had better unplug the toaster before you try to clean it.	1. SHIFT TO "SHOULD" OR "OUGHT TO" People shouldn't clean toasters without unplugging them first.2. SHIFT TO "SHOULD HAVE" OR "OUGHT TO HAVE" You shouldn't have cleaned the toaster without unplugging it first. 3. You had better not clean the toaster until you unplug it.	should, ought to
had better desperate hope, warning	The movie had better end soon.They had better be here before we start dinner. Desperate hopes and warnings usually refer to the near future.	They had better not be late.They had better not forget Tom's birthday gift. Desperate hopes and warnings usually refer to the near future.

"Had better" is often simply pronounced as "better" in spoken English.

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