Would rather / had better

Modal Verb / Its Equivalent	Uses	Present / Future	Past
Would rather do something	1. preference	I would rather go to the park than stay home. I would rather have tea than coffee.	I would rather have gone to the park. I would rather have had tea than coffee.
Had better do something (Had better do something means it is advisable to do something, if you don’t do it, there will be a problem or a danger.)	1. advice / opinion	You had better finish it. (It’s a good idea; advice on a specific situation)	It would have been better if you had finished it yesterday. (but you didn’t)

Exercise 117

Translate the sentences from English into Russian. Mind the use of would ratherandhad better.

1. I’d rather go for a walk in the rainthando nothingat all.

2. We’d better not say what makes you think so.

3. I’d rather be told the truth.

4. You’d rather not lieto me.

5. You had better dosome revision work.

6. It would be better not to interfere.

7. I’d rather weara sweaterthana jacket.

8. I’d rather you didn’t smokein here.

9. We’d rather you do not smoke, if you don’t mind.

10. We’d ratheryou didn’t sayanything about it.

11. You’d better get outyour calculator andtotalitup.

Exercise 118

Give adviceby writing a sentence withhad betterand a sentence withhad better not.

Example:

It’s raining. Jenny is going out

She had bettertakeher umbrella.

She had better not forgether umbrella.

1. Nick wants a drink of milk. The milk smells sour.

2. Jane has a temperature. She wants to go out.

3. Mr. Bell is going for a long drive. There isn’t much petrol in the car.

4. Amanda and Jenny want to leave school early. They need permission from

Miss Mill.

5. Mrs. Bill has toothache. She doesn’t want to go to the dentist’s.

6. Ben is going to watch a horror video. It will scare him.

7. Mr. Smith is driving too fast. The speed limit is 30 miles an hour.

8. Aunt Sarah hasn’t got any bread. She is having visitors to tea.

9. Nick is playing his music too loudly. Mr. Brown is working in his study.

10. Tom and Nick want to go to the cinema. The film starts in ten minutes.

Exercise 119

What Would You Rather Do?

Use I would rather …to say what you prefer.

Example:

• buy a CD-player or save my money

• I would rather save my money than buy a CD-player.

1. go up in a rocket or go down in a submarine	6. listen to music at home or go to a pop concert
2. eat at the cafeteria or at a Chinese restaurant	7. learn windsurfing or take a course in parachute jumping
3. play tennis or go bowling	8. live abroad or stay in my country
4. revise for an English test or go to a party	9. look round a museum or watch a basketball match
5. work as a fashion designer or be a journalist	10. go to the cinema or stay at home

Exercise 120

Fill in: should,shouldn’t, ought to, had better.

David:	You 1 _should_really do something about your car.
Sally:	What do you mean?
David:	It’s in terrible condition. You 2 _____ get a new one before the police stop you.
Sally:	But I can’t afford a new one!
David:	Well, you 3_____ at least have the exhaust seen to. And you 4 _____ have the brakes repaired before you kill somebody.
Sally:	I suppose I 5 _____ . But you 6_____ lend me some money to pay for the repairs.
David:	Sally, have you spent the money I lent you last week? You 7 _____ have spent it all!

Exercise 121

Fill in should, had better or ought to. Exercise

Dear Pete,

I’m sorry to hear your sister is being so horrible to you. I think you

1 should / ought to continuebeing pleasant to her. You 2 _____ try at least. If she is still nasty to you, you 3 _____ tell your parents what has been happening. Your sister 4 _____ be punished for what she has been doing to you. You 5 _____ have told your parents straight away, but you seemed determined to solve the problem yourself.

Good luck,

Auntie Marge.