Modal Verbs for Advice (should, ought to, had better)

In English, we use should, ought to and had better to give advice. They are very similar, but they change a little depending on how urgent or how formal the situation is.

Should

Should is the most common and neutral way to give advice. Use it in everyday situations to say what is right, helpful or recommended.

• You should eat more vegetables.
• He should call his parents more often.

Ought to

Ought to has the same meaning as should, but it is a little more formal and less common in conversation. Don’t forget to. The negative is ought not to.

• You ought to get more sleep.
• We ought to leave soon or we’ll miss the train.
• You ought not to drive so fast.

Had better

Had better is stronger than should or ought to. Use it when something bad will happen if the person does not follow the advice. In speech, we usually say ’d better (you’d better = you had better). It talks about now or the future, not the past. The negative is had better not.

• You’d better take an umbrella. It looks like rain.
• She had better not forget her passport.