you'd better off ...

Question

Hi everyone,In the following phrase "You'd better off helping him", is it "would" or "had"? Can I just say "You better off ..." without 'd?And also, what is the meaning "off" particle here? Can I say the same without "off"?Thanks!

Goodman · Accepted Answer

VanyatkaHi everyone,

In the following phrase "You'd better off helping him", is it "would" or "had"? Can I just say "You better off ..." without 'd?
And also, what is the meaning "off" particle here? Can I say the same without "off"?

Thanks!

The phrase is "It would be better off .......[if you go]".

The "d" in question could be the abbreviated "would" or "had" but based on the context, I would say it's "would".

However, it could also be "you had better help him", not "helping him" though.

You had better go means you want someone to leave.

Vanyatka · Answer

Hm.... Thank you for the reply, Goodman, but I'm still a bit confused.

When I want to say that it would be better if the person would do something, do I say "You had better do something" or "You would better do something"? I know you said I have to use "had" here, but "would" suit much better (IMHO) here and "had" does not quite fit into grammar rules (is it past simple, shortcut past perfect or what?).

Thanks for correcting me with the phrase "It would be better off .......[if you go]". Do you know the purpose of the "off" particle here? To me the meaning remains the same if we drop "off". Thanks.

Goodman · Answer

If your younger brother is playing vedio games all day long without doing his home work when mom is out, you would say to you brother "you'd better stop playing and start doing your home work before mom comes home".

When you tell someone "you had better....." you are telling him that he should act on something before something unfavorable happens.

When we tell someone "you are better off without her", we meant it 's to his best well being that he loose her".

Clive · Answer

Hi,

In the following phrase "You'd better off helping him", is it "would" or "had"? Can I just say "You better off ..." without 'd?
And also, what is the meaning "off" particle here? Can I say the same without "off"?

I think what you have heard or read here is actually 'You are better off helping him'.

'To be better off' is an idiom meaning 'to be in a better situation'.

eg Her husband was not a nice man, and she was always unhappy with him. She was better off after she got divorced.

eg You asked him to paint your living room. If you let him do it by himself, he will just make a big messs that you'll have to clean up. You are better off helping him. That way, the job will be done correctly.

You could also say You would be better off helping him, which shortens to You'd be better off helping him.

Best wishes, Clive

Anonymous · Answer

It is "had" and not "would".

This is from Oxford dictionary:

In the verb phrase had better do something the word had acts like an auxiliary verb, and in informal spoken contexts it is often dropped, as in you better not come tonight. In writing, the had may be contracted to 'd but should not be dropped altogether.

Fivejedjon · Answer

AnonymousIt is "had" and not "would".

Not in the sentence being discussed.

You'd be better off helping him = you would be better off ...
You'd better help him - You had better ...

Anonymous · Answer

Hi. Actually it is WOULD so we use BE with it. That's why You would be better off helping him.

Anonymous · Answer

Dear all,
It would be better off ..should be followed by the Gerund.(v.).However,if you will use `d (had )better ,then you should say `d better .i.g.You `d better see the doctor.That means it is preferred to do that.
Regards.

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