Auxiliary Verb 'Ought to' used to express an obligation or an expectation

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English Grammar : Auxiliary Verb 'Ought to'

AUXILIARY VERB 'OUGHT TO'

Uses of Auxiliary Verb "OUGHT TO"

'Ought to' is used to express an obligation or an expectation that someone should do something. It is also used to express the likelihood of something happening.

'Ought to' expresses ideas such as duty, advise, necessity and moral obligation. It is not as forceful as must, but it is stronger than should.

'Ought to' generally points to present and future time. It can point to past time when it is followed by the perfect infinitive (have + past participle).
It is used in :
• Simple present tense (ought to)
• Present continuous tense (ought to be)

Recommendation or Duty:

Examples:

• You ought to read more.
• They ought to apologize.
• We ought to help the poor.
• You ought to stop smoking.
• We ought to obey our elders.
• We ought to support our family.
• We ought to respect our parents.
• Such things ought not to be allowed.
• They ought to follow the school’s policy.

Obligation or Expectation:

Examples:

• You ought to leave now.
• Labours ought to earn more.
• Riya ought to go by herself.
• You ought to listen carefully.
• Simran ought to get the promotion.
• You ought to have done that earlier.
• People ought to be a bit nicer to us.
• She ought to receive the package tonight.
• Children ought to be able to read by the age of 7.

Probability:

Examples:

• Gold ought to increase in value.
• This stock ought to increase in value.
• Ought not the water to have boiled by now?
• That ought to be enough food for the four of us.
• If he started out at nine, he ought to be here by now.

Advise:

Examples:

• You ought to be punctual.
• Monika ought to exercise more.
• Mark ought not to drink so much.
• This is delicious. You ought to try some.
• All the visitors ought to come to the reception.
• You ought to visit your friends once in a while.
• You ought to have come to the meeting. It was interesting.

Types of Auxiliary Verbs

(1) Auxiliary–cum–verbs.

"Auxiliary-cum-verbs" are :

These 11 auxiliaries are also used as verbs, therefore, they are called Auxiliary–cum–verbs. These are used to form Tenses. ( Please refer Tense Table).

(2) Pure Auxiliary verbs..

"Pure Auxiliary verbs" are :

These 20 auxiliaries only support normal verbs, therefore, they are called Pure Auxiliary Verbs. They are also called Models or Model Auxiliary Verbs.

English Grammar : Verbs

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