Had better 意為「最好」、「應該」，後接原形動詞，與語氣助動詞 should 的用法相似，其中的 had 在口語和非正式寫作中經常縮略為 ‘d 或完全省略。例如：
- You had better go before it rains. (你最好在下雨前就去)
= You’d better go before it rains.
= You better go before it rains. - I’d better be making tracks. (我該走了/我要走了)
= I’d better get going.
= I’d better be off in a (little) bit.
然而，在正式或學術文章中，一般並不建議使用 had better 或 better，而應使用 should 或 ought to。例如：
- You should go to school today. (你今天應該上學)
- You ought to go to school today.