HAD BETTER & IT´S TIME

Had better” is used as a modal auxiliary verb used to give strong advice. It means “it would be better for someone to do something” or  “it  would be a good idea if (something be done)”.  Its contracted form for all subject pronouns  is [‘d better]. We need to use  the construction had +  better + simple form of a verb in affirmative sentences and  had +  better + NOT simple form of a verb in negative sentences. Let´s analyze the following examples:

• We´d better listen to what our football coach has to say. 
• I have to meet Mr. Richardson in twenty minutes, I’d better leave now or I’ll be late.
• You´d better stop eating  so much or you´ll get sick.
• It’s freezing outside. We´d better wear our coats.
• Natalie´s ex-husband will come to the party. She   

 still misses him a lot.   She´d better NOT come.

• Mr. White, who is Roxane´s boss, dislikes people who are late. Roxane is almost always late. There will be a group meeting with him at 8am tomorrow. She´d better NOT be late!

Note that we use the auxiliary “HAD + BETTER” (HAD in the past) as part of its construction, but its meaning  is  always related to present or future situations.

 AND HOW CAN WE USE “IT´S TIME”?

On the other hand, we can use the expression “it’s time” in two different contexts. The first one is  to indicate that the right time to do something has come for us. It should be done now!  We use the following constructions: It´s time + to + simple form of the verb or it’s time for someone + to + simple form of a verb. Let´s analyze the following examples:

• It’s time to talk things over.
• It’s time to make a decision.
• It´s time for us to go.
• It´s time for you to visit your parents.

The second usage is  to say that someone should do something now or in the immediate future, before it´s too late. Most of the times this expression is used to complain, find fault, express dissatisfaction or criticize.  We use  the following  construction: it’s (about) time + subject + past simple. Note that we will be using the principal verb in the PAST, because it is a SUBJUNCTIVE case, but we are talking about the future. Let´s analyze the following examples:

• It’s getting very late. It’s time we WENT home.
• Joe and Fred are fighting against each other again. It’s about time you DID something.
• It’s time the kids WERE in bed;  it’s long after their bedtime.
• You’re very lazy, it’s about  time you STOPPED acting like that.

TRY THE FOLLOWING QUIZ TO TEST YOUR KNOWLEDGE OF “HAD BETTER” AND “IT`S TIME”.  Choose the correct letter a, b or c to complete the sentences correctly.

Choose a, b or c to complete the following sentences correctly. 

READING COMPREHENSION AND BUILDING

MATH ISN´T JUST FOR BOYS

By Rachel Crowell- 2017

(I)  Stereotypes are beliefs about entire groups of people that are based more on feelings than facts. One persistent stereotype is that girls aren’t good at math. Stereotypes can be very harmful. They can damage a person’s self-image and also limit the opportunities they receive. This may occur despite an individual’s abilities, skills and potential.

(II) When it comes to girls and women being under-represented in math, “the trouble is a cultural one. It’s a perception thing,” says Randall Cone. He is a mathematician and computer scientist at Salisbury University in Maryland. This perception affects how many — or how few — women study advanced math and find jobs in fields that rely on math skills. But the problem is more complex than just stereotypes. In 2009, two researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in Cambridge investigated why fewer girls than boys rise to the top levels of math competitions. They looked at data from AMC events. Hoping to better understand this gender gap, they focused on high-achievers.

(III)  A gender gap in math indeed exists around the world, they found. However, they were not ready to say for sure why this might be. In fact, the problem is likely due to many things. But peer pressure may play a role. It might dissuade girls from joining math clubs or pursuing other activities that could help them become math superstars. Many top-performing female mathletes in the United States came from just a few elite schools, the study found. There, students might face less peer pressure. The reason? Girls there simply might be surrounded by a larger share of other top performers working towards similar goals.

(IV) Girls have to be brave to overcome stereotypes and enter math competitions. That’s true especially when there are few other female students who enjoy math. To fight the stereotypes that math isn’t for them, “We should attract more girls at an early age to do math,” says Demi Guo, 19. Girls need role models — ones in math competitions and anywhere else math is taught and used. Indeed, that’s why competitions such as the China Girls’ Mathematical Olympiad and the European Girls’ Mathematical Olympiad (EGMO) were created. Both are exactly like the IMO — with the exception that they are open only to girls. In fact, EGMO is one of the toughest high- school math competitions in the world. Demi competed last year as part of the U.S. EGMO team in Bușteni, Romania. Her team won silver, and she took home an individual bronze medal. These competitions can boost the self- esteem of girls, convincing them that they have a natural place in math, including in careers that rely on it.

(V) While Demi was in high school, she also competed in computer-programming meets. “I think computer-programming contests are really related to math contests,” she notes. Now she’s studying math and computer science at Harvard University in Cambridge, Mass. “I’m not entirely sure what I’d like to do after I graduate,” she admits. She’s considering a career.

Cambridge University Press. (2015). Cambridge Advanced Learner’s Dictionary. Fourth Edition.

Eastwood, J. (2019). Oxford Practice Grammar. Intermediate. Oxford University Press.

Hewings, M. (2013) Advanced Grammar in Use with Answers: A Self-Study Reference  and Practice Book for Advanced Learners of English. CUP

Murray, L. (2014) English Grammar.  Cambridge University Press.

Swan, M & Walter, C. (2016). Oxford English Grammar Course. Intermediate. Oxford University Press.

Images_Compra propia de licencias de banco de imágenes de Pixton y Pngtree, exentas de derechos de autor. https://www-es.pixton.com/ & https://es.pngtree.com/free-backgrounds.

Reading Text retrieved and adapted fromhttps://commonlit-private-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/lesson_template_pdfs/pdfs/000/012/297/original/Math_Isn%27t_Just_for_Boys-teacher-14. By Rachel Crowell- 2017.  Unless otherwise noted, this content is licensed under the CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 license

• All practice exercises and charts were  written by Connie Reyes Cruz_2022_ENES- LEÓN-UNAM
• Audio version performed by Kimberly and Matt_Compra propia de licencia de uso de voces en Voicemaker, exenta de derechos de autor. https://voicemaker.in/ _Connie Reyes Cruz_2022_