Mate, your girlfriend looks like she wants to eat me. Is she all right?
Mate, your girlfriend looks like she wants to eat me. Is she all right?

She's fine! We've never seen a hungry girlfriend before
She's fine! We've never seen a hungry girlfriend before

She just needs pizza
She just needs pizza

No mate, I've seen a hungry girlfriend
No mate, I've seen a hungry girlfriend

That is something else
That is something else

We should make her a pizza then because she's.. she's really scary.
We should make her a pizza then because she's.. she's really scary.

Yeah in a minute
Yeah in a minute

How could he say that in a different way?
How could he say that in a different way?

Could he add more meaning to it?
Could he add more meaning to it?

First let's look at that word should
First let's look at that word should

Some of my students think that "should" is the same as "must"
Some of my students think that "should" is the same as "must"

No
No

Should it's not a rule. It's not an obligation
Should it's not a rule. It's not an obligation

You're giving advice
You're giving advice

You're just saying: this is a good idea
You're just saying: this is a good idea

For example
For example

If your friend has a cut on his leg, it's bleeding
If your friend has a cut on his leg, it's bleeding

But it starts to turn green, or blue, or purple
But it starts to turn green, or blue, or purple

or black.
or black.

Maybe you'll say this:
Maybe you'll say this:

You should see a doctor
You should see a doctor

It's a good idea to see a doctor
It's a good idea to see a doctor

Again, It's not an obligation
Again, It's not an obligation

It's not "you MUST see the doctor, you HAVE to"
It's not "you MUST see the doctor, you HAVE to"

It's not that. No
It's not that. No

You're giving advice. That's it
You're giving advice. That's it

If you use the negative "Shouldn't"
If you use the negative "Shouldn't"

That just means it's a bad idea.
That just means it's a bad idea.

Hmm. Maybe don't do this. That's my advice
Hmm. Maybe don't do this. That's my advice

For example
For example

You shouldn't try to sneeze with your eyes open
You shouldn't try to sneeze with your eyes open

If you don't know, a sneeze is the "Atchu" thing
If you don't know, a sneeze is the "Atchu" thing

Is that true? I don't know
Is that true? I don't know

That can't be true
That can't be true

Why would that be bad?
Why would that be bad?

I tried
I tried

And of course, the question form is like this
And of course, the question form is like this

So, okay. Let's change the word "Should"
So, okay. Let's change the word "Should"

We can use "had better" to replace "should"
We can use "had better" to replace "should"

It basically means the same thing and
It basically means the same thing and

grammatically, it works the same
grammatically, it works the same

The verb after, should be the infinitive verb
The verb after, should be the infinitive verb

The original verb without "to"
The original verb without "to"

For example
For example

A positive sentence could be this:
A positive sentence could be this:

So "had better" very useful, but not as common as "should"
So "had better" very useful, but not as common as "should"

So when should I use "had better" and not "should"
So when should I use "had better" and not "should"

Well, you'll mostly hear it and use it, when there's some urgency
Well, you'll mostly hear it and use it, when there's some urgency

So you should do this, but quickly. Come on! Now!
So you should do this, but quickly. Come on! Now!

for example
for example

Or when it's like if you don't do the thing
Or when it's like if you don't do the thing

Something bad will happen
Something bad will happen

For example if your friend has to go to the airport
For example if your friend has to go to the airport

But he's sitting there playing on his phone
But he's sitting there playing on his phone

like I do all the time
like I do all the time

you might say
you might say

You'd better leave
You'd better leave

because if you don't...
because if you don't...

You'll miss your flight
You'll miss your flight

something bad will happen
something bad will happen

Also, some of you are thinking
Also, some of you are thinking

if I'm late for my flight, or bus, or train
if I'm late for my flight, or bus, or train

Shouldn't I say lose my flight? Lose my train? Lose my bus?
Shouldn't I say lose my flight? Lose my train? Lose my bus?

Nope
Nope

The verb is miss
The verb is miss

You miss your flight, miss your bus, miss your train.
You miss your flight, miss your bus, miss your train.

It could be a threat
It could be a threat

like for example
like for example

So, in this case, it's like a threat
So, in this case, it's like a threat

If you don't do it
If you don't do it

Something bad will happen
Something bad will happen

Notice how in all of these situations
Notice how in all of these situations

I'm not saying you had better
I'm not saying you had better

No. I'm using the contraction
No. I'm using the contraction

that's because in speech the contraction is always best
that's because in speech the contraction is always best

Unless you want to really emphasize something
Unless you want to really emphasize something

Make it sound strong
Make it sound strong

then you might say
then you might say

Yeah, pretty much
Yeah, pretty much

We always just use the contraction
We always just use the contraction

you'd - I'd - we'd
you'd - I'd - we'd

In fact, actually, we often drop the "had" in speaking
In fact, actually, we often drop the "had" in speaking

and casual writing like with your friends
and casual writing like with your friends

Don't write it in an exam. That would be bad.
Don't write it in an exam. That would be bad.

But in spoken English, it's fine. Don't worry about it.
But in spoken English, it's fine. Don't worry about it.

I need to talk about pronunciation because
I need to talk about pronunciation because

Maybe you noticed
Maybe you noticed

I just said better. "I better go"
I just said better. "I better go"

And I pronounced the "T" like a "Duh"
And I pronounced the "T" like a "Duh"

That's like American English... Bleh
That's like American English... Bleh

But actually, when you say "I better", "you better"
But actually, when you say "I better", "you better"

You have three ways to pronounce it.
You have three ways to pronounce it.

"I better" it's fine.
"I better" it's fine.

"I better" that's fine as well
"I better" that's fine as well

"I better" as a glottal T, and also that is fine
"I better" as a glottal T, and also that is fine

So, of course you've got "I better"
So, of course you've got "I better"

[singing Eminem]
[singing Eminem]

So your reply, if the context is obvious
So your reply, if the context is obvious

Can just be
Can just be

You could drop the "had"
You could drop the "had"

Or... Even
Or... Even

That's fine too
That's fine too

So write your own examples
So write your own examples

Your own bits of advice in the comments using "had better"
Your own bits of advice in the comments using "had better"

Practice it. Positive, negative and question form
Practice it. Positive, negative and question form

Also give someone some advice using "had better" in your Instagram stories
Also give someone some advice using "had better" in your Instagram stories

Tag me at @PapaTeachMe
Tag me at @PapaTeachMe

and I'll repost the best ones
and I'll repost the best ones

see you in the next class
see you in the next class

Do you think I should order a pizza now?
Do you think I should order a pizza now?

Yeah, I think you'd better, before she eats me
Yeah, I think you'd better, before she eats me