Gives advice that one option is better — 'you'd better ~ / it's better to ~'. Carries real weight: it implies a downside if the advice is ignored.
[Verb ta-form] + ほうがいい (do it) / [Verb nai-form] + ほうがいい (don't do it)
すぐに病院へ行ったほうがいい。
Sugu ni byouin e itta hou ga ii.
You'd better go to the hospital right away.
行った (go, ta-form) + ほうがいい — positive advice uses the た-form
あの人には会わないほうがいい。
Ano hito ni wa awanai hou ga ii.
You'd better not meet that person.
会わない (don't meet, nai-form) + ほうがいい — negative advice uses the nai-form
試験の前の日は、早く寝たほうがいい。
Shiken no mae no hi wa, hayaku neta hou ga ii.
You'd better go to bed early the day before an exam.
寝た (sleep, ta-form) + ほうがいい — positive advice uses the た-form
• Form rule: positive advice takes the past た-form (行ったほうがいい); negative advice takes the plain nai-form (行かないほうがいい). • Stronger than English 'should' — it implies a real consequence if ignored, so use gently with superiors.
The JLPT rarely asks whether you recognise a pattern — it asks which of several similar patterns fits. These are the ones ほうがいい is tested against.
たらどう softly suggests ('why not ~?'); ほうがいい is firmer, recommending one course as clearly better.
べきだ states a moral/social obligation ('ought to'); ほうがいい gives practical advice about the better choice.
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