FluencyLab
GrammarHub
Give strong advice with had better and say an action is overdue with it's time + past form.
Overview
Give strong advice with had better and say an action is overdue with it's time + past form.
Form and rules
Use had better + base verb for strong advice, often when there may be a negative consequence.
The contraction is 'd better: You'd better leave now.
Negative form: had better not + base verb.
Use It's time + to-infinitive for a neutral statement: It's time to go.
Use It's time + subject + past simple to suggest the action should already happen: It's time we went.
A closer look
Use It's time + to-infinitive for a neutral statement: It's time to go.
Use It's time + subject + past simple to suggest the action should already happen: It's time we went.
Examples
You'd better save your work.
We'd better not be late.
It's time to leave.
It's time you talked to your manager.
He'd better take an umbrella.
Common mistakes
Had better gives strong advice with a possible consequence.
Had better is followed by the base verb.
Ready to practise?
The test combines multiple choice, gap completion, error correction, and sentence building so students have to recognise and produce the grammar, not simply reread the rule.