🎯

Learning Objectives

2 minutes reading
✓
Use "should" and "ought to" to give professional advice
✓
Use "had better" for strong recommendations with consequences
✓
Soften advice with phrases like "I think you should..."
✓
Give feedback and troubleshooting advice professionally
💡
Key for this lesson

Should/Ought to = general advice. Had better = strong advice with implied warning. "You'd better leave now or you'll miss the train."

📚

Grammar Explanation

4 minutes reading
Should / Ought to

General Advice & Recommendations

Should + base verb / Ought to + base verb

Positive: "You should back up your files regularly."

Negative: "You shouldn't ignore customer complaints."

I thinkperhapsin my opinion
Had better

Strong Advice (Implied Warning)

Had better + base verb (contraction: 'd better)

Warning: "You'd better submit that report today (or there will be problems)."

Urgent: "We'd better leave now or we'll be late."

or elseotherwiseimmediately
🔑
Strength Scale

Should (gentle) → Ought to (slightly more formal) → Had better (strong, implies negative consequence)

🎯

Context & Professional Usage

5 minutes reading

Should / Ought to

💬Feedback: "You should include more data in your reports."
🛠️Troubleshooting: "You should try restarting the system."
📈Suggestions: "We should consider expanding to new markets."
🤝General advice: "You ought to speak to HR about that."

Had better (Urgency)

⏰Deadlines: "We'd better finish this today."
⚠️Warnings: "You'd better check the contract carefully."
🚨Problems: "We'd better inform the client immediately."
💡

Business English Examples

6 minutes reading
✓

Correct Professional Usage

✓
"You should update your CV before the interview."

General advice

✓
"I think you should discuss this with your manager."

Softened advice

✓
"You'd better send that apology email today."

Strong advice - urgency

✓
"We ought to review our strategy quarterly."

Formal recommendation

✗

Common Business Mistakes

✗
"You should to call the client."

Use: "You should call..." (no "to" after should)

✗
"You had better to finish this."

Use: "You'd better finish..." (no "to")

✗
"You better leave now."

Use: "You'd better leave..." (need "had/'d")

🎧

Professional Listening Exercise

6 minutes

Listen to Ken, a Senior Project Manager, giving feedback to Leo about a presentation:

🎵Audio: Performance Feedback
Ready
0:00 / 0:00
🔊
Speed:

Ken (Senior Project Manager):

"Hi Leo, do you have a minute? I wanted to give you some feedback on your presentation this morning. First of all, great job. Your research was very thorough.

There are a few things we can work on for next time. To make it more engaging, you should always start with a clear agenda on the first slide. That way, the audience knows what to expect. Also, you shouldn't put too much text on one slide. It's better to use bullet points and visuals. On that note, I think you should include more charts to represent the data.

From a company perspective, we ought to make sure our branding is always consistent. You used an old logo on the final slide, so you'd better change that before we send this to the client. Speaking of the client, they are expecting the final version this afternoon, so you'd better make these changes as soon as possible. It's a key account, so you'd better not send the file with the old logo.

But honestly, this is all minor stuff. For an intern, your work is excellent and you're learning fast. You should be really proud of the progress you've made. Keep it up."

Question 1: What is Ken's primary advice about presentation slides?

Question 2: What does Ken say is important from a company perspective?

Question 3: Why does Leo need to act quickly?

Question 4: Complete: "It's a key account, so you'd better not ___________ file with old logo."

🧠

Quick Comprehension Quiz

4 minutes
1

Gentle advice about updating a document:

AYou should update the document.
BYou'd better update the document.
CYou must update the document.
2

Urgent situation - the deadline is in one hour:

AYou should finish soon.
BYou'd better finish now.
CYou might finish soon.
3

Advising someone NOT to do something:

AYou don't should send that email.
BYou shouldn't send that email.
CYou mustn't to send that email.
✏️

Professional Practice Exercises

7 minutes

Exercise A: Choose should, shouldn't, or 'd better

1. The meeting starts in 5 minutes. You _______ go now. (urgent)

2. I think you _______ apply for that promotion. (advice)

3. You _______ interrupt the CEO during presentations. (advice against)

4. The client is angry. We _______ call them immediately. (strong)

🗣️

Speaking Preparation

4 minutes
📚
Preparation for Class

Practice giving professional advice and recommendations.

💬 Task 1: Giving Advice (1 min)

A colleague asks for advice on improving their presentation skills. Give 3 recommendations using should.

⚠️ Task 2: Urgent Situations (2 min)

Describe an urgent work situation and what someone had better do.

✨
Summary

Should: general advice
Ought to: formal recommendation
Had better: strong advice with warning

Next lesson →