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Latest post Mon, Feb 27 2006 2:46 AM by Swiss Jake. 30 replies.
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Swiss Jake  +  198432 Sun, 19 Feb 06 12:53 AM

Hi!

Please tell me, are following sentences correct?

She better be awake.

She better sing nicely.

Are those examples of the imperativ or subjunctive? (Is there always the base form with "better..." for instant: "You better be sorry!")

What about following:

It's better when she is awake.

It's better when she sings nicely.

In what ways is it different to:

It 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?

It 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?

Something totally different?

Thanks in advance,

Jake

Joined on Fri, Dec 30 2005
Full Member 196
Please, correct my mistakes in my posts. Thank you! "The only real mistake is the one from which you learn nothing." -- John Powell
Clive  +  198447 Sun, 19 Feb 06 02:16 AM

Hi,

She better be awake.

She better sing nicely.

Are those examples of the imperativ or subjunctive? They are really examples of giving advice, similar to 'you should. . , you ought to . . .'.   The full structure is 'had better', but in informal speech the 'had' is often omitted. She had better be wake. She'd better be awake. She better be awake.

She had better be awake.  She had better sing nicely.

 

What about following:

It's better when she is awake. Factual statement. 'This has happened'. She has woken up in the past and will wake up in the future, and on such occasions it has been and will be better.

It's better when she sings nicely. Likewise

In what ways is it different to:

It would be better if she were awake. Hypothetical. She may never wake up, and thus it may never be better.

It were better if she would be awake. I wouldn't rush to say this is wrong, but it's archaic tone sounds loke very contorted English to a modern ear.

It were better if she were awake. Very hypothetical, unreal situation.

It would be better if she sang nicely. Say it this way.

Best wishes, Clive

Joined on Thu, Oct 28 2004
Canada
Veteran Member 29,612
El tango argentino es un pensamiento triste que se puede bailar (The tango argentino is a sad thought which can be danced) Enrique Santos Discépolo
Clive  +  198454 Sun, 19 Feb 06 02:36 AM

Hi,

I'd like to add a bit to my answer.

'You had better ... ' is like giving strong advice.

'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.

Best wishes again, Clive 

Swiss Jake  +  199037 Mon, 20 Feb 06 04:57 PM

Hi Clive,

thank you for responding.

'You had better ... ' is like giving strong advice. So, a mother may say: "Son, you had better clean up your room when I come home." Or is it: "Son, you had better cleaned up your room when I come home."

To the other example; wife says: "Honey, Ashley had better clean(/ed) up her room when I come home."

Thanks again,

Jake

nona the brit  +  199042 Mon, 20 Feb 06 05:23 PM
More of a threat than advice when it comes from us mums. There is an implied 'or else!'
Joined on Wed, Sep 22 2004
England
Veteran Member 11,713
The name says it all.
Clive  +  199101 Mon, 20 Feb 06 09:59 PM

Hi,

So, a mother may say: "Son, you had better clean up your room when I come home."  Yes, but say Son, you had better clean up your room before I come home

Or is it: "Son, you had better cleaned up your room when I come home." You need to say Son, you had better have cleaned up your room when I come home (future perfect)

To the other example; wife says: "Honey, Ashley had better clean(/ed) up her room when I come home." Same comments.

Best wishes, Clive

Swiss Jake  +  199137 Mon, 20 Feb 06 11:43 PM

Hi Clive! Thanks a lot.

I have another question I just watched TV and they said:

"He better not needs stiches." Why isn't it: "He better not need stiches or he better don't need stiches?

Son, you had better have cleaned up your room when I come home. It is not "Son, you had better have cleaned up your room before I come home.??

Thanks a lot.

Jake

Clive  +  199140 Mon, 20 Feb 06 11:53 PM

Hi again,

I just watched TV and they said:

"He better not needs stitches". Why isn't it: "He better not need stiches This is correct. I think you just heard it incorrectly, or maybe the TV person spoke badly. 'Needs' ends with an ess sound and stitches starts with an ess sound, so they just blend in together in speech. This is probably the cause of what you heard. The problem is in your ear, I think.

or he better don't need stiches? This is terrible grammar

Son, you had better have cleaned up your room when I come home. It is not "Son, you had better have cleaned up your room before I come home.?? You hear people say it both ways. However, the future perfect focuses on a state that exists at a point in the future, and 'when' more precisely identifies that point. So, 'when' is better.

Best wishes, Clive

Jake


Swiss Jake  +  199160 Tue, 21 Feb 06 02:01 AM

Clive,

The problem is in your ear, I think.

ooh, 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.

Anyway, thanks a lot for helping me! I really appreciate it!

Have a nice day, Jake

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