Giving Advice 31

There are several different structures that you can use when giving advice.

Should:

This is probably the most common of the structures for giving advice. After should, and its negative - shouldn’t - we use the base form of the infinitive of the verb:

...You should wise up
...We shouldn’t cheat
...I shouldn't worry about it if I were you.
...I shouldn't (= I advise you not to) let it worry you.

It is common to use 'I think' and 'I don’t think' with should:

...I think you should put the answers back
...She doesn't think they should use them

Had better :

This structure is common in spoken English and it is usually used in the contracted form. After had better, and its negative - had better not, we use the base form of the infinitive of the verb :

...You’d better return the answers to the lecturer
...You’d better not tell anyone that you found them
...I'd better leave a note so they'll know I'll be late.
...You'd better get moving if you want to catch your train

If I were you

This version of the second conditional is often used when giving advice, especially in spoken English. Note the use of were with I in the first clause.

In the second clause, we use would - contracted to d - and wouldn’t. After would and wouldn’t, we use the base form of the infinitive of the verb:

...If I were you, I’d give them back to the lecturer
...If I were you, I wouldn’t use the answers
...If I were you, I'd probably go.
...I think I'd take the money if I were you.
...If I were in your shoes, I think I'd write to her rather than try to explain over the phone.

Ought

This is the most formal of the structures used for giving advice, and so it isn't so common.
After ought, and its negative - ought not (oughtn't), we use the full infinitive of the verb:

...You ought to contact the police
...You ought not to cheat in exams
...You ought to be kinder to him.
...We ought not/oughtn't to have agreed without knowing what it would cost.
..."We ought to be getting ready now." "Yes, I suppose we ought (to)."

Vocabulary:

you're kidding.
you're joking. We use this expression when you don't believe what someone has said

...Oh no, I've forgotten your birthday! Hey, just/only kidding!
...You won first prize? You're kidding! (= I'm really surprised.)
...I'm just kidding you
...He says there's a good chance she'll come back to him but I think he's kidding himself. [kid yourself to believe something that is not true, usually because you want it to be true]

wise up [phrasal verb MAINLY US INFORMAL ]
stop being stupid. We often use this expression when we think someone is being naïve or too innocent about life - "to start to understand a situation or fact and believe what you hear about it, even if it is difficult or unpleasant"

...Those who think this is a harmless recreational drug should wise up.
...It's about time employers wised up to the fact that staff who are happy work more efficiently.
...It's about time that Congress wised up to the fact that most citizens do not trust politicians to tell the truth.

pass with flying colours /come through with flying colors
do very well in a test or exam - to pass an examination with a very high score or to complete a difficult activity very successfully

...She took her university entrance exam in December and passed with flying colours.
...The officer training was gruelling, but he came through with flying colours.

hand them in :
(idiom) return them

...Have you handed in your history essay yet?
...I've decided to hand in my resignation (= tell my employer I am leaving my job)."to give something to someone in a position of authority"
...She handed her term paper in late.