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Swiss Jake Posted 20 years ago
Grammar

better be

0Hi!02br
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01u00Please tell me, are following sentences correct?02u02br
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00She better 01b00be02b00 awake.02br
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00She better 01b00sing02b00 nicely.02br
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00Are those examples of the imperativ or subjunctive? (Is there always the base form with "better..." for instant: "You better be sorry!")02br
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00What about following:02br
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00It's better when she is awake.02br
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00It's better when she sings nicely.02br
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01u00In what ways is it different to:02u02br
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00It would be better if she were awake. Or is it: It were better if she would be awake? Or: It were better if she were awake?02br
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00It would be better if she sang nicely. Or is it: It were better if she would sing nicely? Or: It were better if she sang nicely?02br
02br
00Something totally different?02br
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00Thanks in advance,02br
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00Jake0-
  

Top answer

02font 02br 02br 01font 00Are those examples of the imperativ or subjunctive? 00They are00 really examples of giving advice, similar to 'you should. , you ought to .

— Clive

  • 02font 02br 02br 01font 00Are those examples of the imperativ or subjunctive?
  • 00They are00 really examples of giving advice, similar to 'you should.
  • , you ought to .
  • 02font 00 The full structure is 'had better', but in informal speech the 'had' is often omitted.
  • 01i 00She had better be wake.
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30 Answers
0
0Hi,02br
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01font00She better 01b00be02b00 awake.02font02br
02br
01font00She better 01b00sing02b00 nicely.02font02br
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01font00Are those examples of the imperativ or subjunctive? 00T
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0Hi,02br
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00I'd like to add a bit to my answer. 02br
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00'You had better ... ' is like giving strong advice.02br
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00'She had better . . .' is not exactly advice, since 'she' may not be present. It's like giving a recommendation for a future action, possibly even implying a threat if the recommended action does not occur.02
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0Hi Clive,02br
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00thank you for responding. 02br
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01font00'You had better ... ' is like giving strong advice.02font00 So, a mother may say: "Son, you had better clean up your room when I come home." Or is it: "Son, you had better clean01b00ed02b00 up your room when I come home." 02b
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0 More of a threat than advice when it comes from us mums. There is an implied 'or else!' 0-
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0Hi,02br
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01font00So, a mother may say: "Son, you had better clean up your room when I come home."02font00 Yes, but say 01i00Son, you had better clean up your room 01font00before02font00 I come home02i02br
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01font00Or
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0Hi Clive! Thanks a lot.02br
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00I have another question I just watched TV and they said:02br
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00"He better not needs stiches." Why isn't it: "He better not need stiches or he better don't need stiches?02br
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01i00Son, you had better 01font00have clean01b00ed02b00 up
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1font00Hi again,02font02br
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00I just watched TV and they said:02br
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00"He better not needs 01font01b00stitches02b00". 02font00Why isn't it: "He better not need stiches 01font00This is correct. I think you just heard it
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0Clive,02br
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01font00The problem is in your ear, I think.02font02br
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00ooh, oh... That may be. But since English, sadly, is poorly spoken around where I live, I can't trust the people's speech. (most the time) And I ask because I was not sure, in English are so many exception that I just wanted to go sure.02b
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0Please see 05000. "Had better have done" is a rather archaic expression not to mean "future perfective" but to mean "desired but unrealized past".02br
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00paco 040pid194842
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0Hi Paco,02br
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00Parent to child: 01i00I'm going out for an hour. 01b00You'd better have done02b00 your homework by the time I get back, or you'll be in big trouble.02i02br
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00To me, this is a perfectly normal and common construct. Let's see what any other people wish to say about it.02br
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0

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