Had better..

Ever wondered why these two words are brought together in almost an unholy matrimony? Not outright unholy because at a point both of them function as a verb, severally. But aside that, English grammar has disparately brought them into an uncanny and anomalous union. Now, let us put asunder if we must understand the basis for their being yoked together.

Had belongs to the category called the anomalous verbs. There are only three of them in English: have, has, had. ‘Have’ seems to be their mother as it is the base form. ‘Having’ is the present participle form. ‘Has’ is the third person present singular form while ‘Had’ is used both in the past and past participle forms.

Interestingly, ‘Have’ has nothing less than seventeen meanings and usages. However, the anomalous verb set performs two basic functions. One, time-showing function. Two, possession-showing function. The time-showing function happens when ‘have,’ ‘has,’ and ‘had’ show us the time an action occurs.

In this circumstance, what comes after this set of verbs is not a  noun phrase or noun but a verb in its past participle form. Examples: 1. Tayo has eaten the apple. 2. Segun had taken the pen. 3. They have slept off. All the actions took place in the unspecified time in the past. Similarly, there is a specific rule, under the rules that govern anomalous verbs, that says any verb that comes after has, have, or had must be a past participle verb. ‘Had better’ then highlights the flagrant infringement of the rule. How? The word ‘better,’ if we are to take it to be a verb here, is not in its past participle form.

If it were to have any past participle form, it would be something such as ‘bettered.’ But ‘had bettered’ does not sound right because English grammar has created the stock, the usual out of an anomaly. Anyway, that’s why anomalous verbs are saddled with the adjective, ‘anomalous,’ meaning irregular, unusual. If it were a normal set, the past tense and the past participle of ‘have’ would have been ‘haved,’ the singular form and the simple present form would have been ‘haves’ while ‘having’ would have been the progressive form.

Under the possession-showing function, has, have, and had help to indicate that the subject or object in question belongs to someone or something. Examples: 1. He has a white Samsung phone. 2. Jay Lee had a fair share of the company. 3. Kemi and Lawson have two little toys.

Before I move on to more specific issues, it may interest you to know that while ‘had’ is a verb any time any day, ‘better’ may function as a verb, a noun, an adverb, and an adjective. If we say the combination of ‘had better’ is that of verb + verb, that would be a poor phrasal verb or verb phrase. If we think it to be verb + noun, that’d be unthinkable as we are not looking at numbers or concord.

The structure cannot certainly be verb + adjective, that’d be suicide. It’s safer, better – may be not best as – verb + adverb since adverbs have a tradition of modifying verbs. Let's call it phrase; is phrase not about isolated expressions that do not have the capacity to stand alone and make a complete sense? But a phrase should not have a verb. Isn't it? 'Had' is a verb. But it's not a doing verb here. For crying out loud, 'had better' cannot constitute a meaningful unit all by itself.

What I have tried to understand several times is why English dictionaries are bedeviled with the paucity of the grammatical name to designate the ‘had better’ structure. Perhaps, it's because it's not a major entry in the dictionaries. You'd only find 'had better' under distant explanations of 'have' or 'better' in English dictionaries.

Some of those dictionaries don't even have the word together at all. Yet there are many two word expressions that are regarded as an entry and a word in English dictionaries.

Whichever way, English dictionaries indubitably confirm the correctness of the ‘had better’ structure. What then does the expression mean and in what cases is it best employed?

You use ‘Had better’ when you intend to tell someone what is right or whether it is wise to do or not to do something, if doing something would redound to some benefits or not. You use it to tell someone that their actions could produce unfavourable results if they don’t do what is right or expected of them. There is always the tone of warning and disrespect about it. You should not tell an elderly person, ‘You had better get out of bed and go to work.’ That is rather disrespectful.

You should note that the verb in the construction is always ‘had’ and not ‘have.’ In this regard, we may categorize it as a fixed expression. The good thing about this expression is that you don’t need to worry about the ‘presentness,’ the ‘pastness,’ or the ‘futurness’ of the actions concerned. E.g.  He had better be careful. This sentence is apropos to the past, present and future.

Many people get confused with reference to the kind of verb that follows ‘had better.’ When you have ‘had better’ in an utterance, ensure that you follow it with a verb in its base form or infinitive without to. Examples: 1. She had better go home. 2. The government had better give precedence to its campaign promises. 3. The judge had better sentence the crimal. 4. He had better go there.

Note all the verbs that come after ‘had better’ in these sentences; they are in their base form. That is, they do not indicate past, present, future or progressive forms by addition of inflections that normally happen to verbs in such circumstances. If you remove ‘better’ from all the sentences, then you must use past participle of all the verbs that come after ‘had.’ E.g 1. She had gone home.

Avoid using ‘had better’ when you are making recommendations or suggestions. Examples:

1.I’d recommend you pay him a visit someday. 2. I’d suggest you switch off the light before you sleep.

When you want to express requirements or obligations, do not use ‘had better.’ Use ‘must,’ ‘have got to,’ or ‘have to.’ Examples:  1. She must stand her ground, firmly. 2. You have to sing on a very high pitch to win the competition.

When you intend talking about preferences, do not use ‘had better,’ instead, employ ‘would prefer’ or ‘would rather.’ Examples: She gave me the transportation fare but I said I would rather walk home. 2. When the power was restored, I told the choirmaster I would prefer to sing without a mic.

The negative form of 'had better' is 'had better not.' Example: You had better not stop preparing for your exams; the strike could be called off soon.

The shortened form of 'had better' is 'd better. This is often used in informal situations. Example: It's almost twelve midnight. I'd better sleep now.

In informal spoken English, you could swap 'had better' for 'at best.' Examples:1. You had best sleep early: early to bed, early to rise. 2. We'd best be going.

You can also ask questions with 'had better.' This is possible when you effect an inversion of the subject by placing it between 'had' and 'better' before you add other sentential elements necessary for asking questions. Example: Had he better read the instructions first before filling out the forms? What do you suggest?

You can also ask negative questions with 'had better.' Examples: 1.Hadn't I better inform daddy I won't be home for the party? 2. Hadn't he better not go there?

You may use the structure: be better or best+to infinitive for suggestions. Examples: 1. It would be best to tell people what you do so that they'd call you when they need your services. 2. She suggested it would be better to show him how wrong he was so that he won't repeat it.

Written by Omidire Idowu.

Omidire, Idowu Joshua is a professional editor who works for various publication firms and private individuals. Get him via noblelifeliver@gmail.com