ought

A child ought to share their toys with a friend.

Definition

1. Modal verb:
   • Used to indicate duty or correctness: "ought" expresses moral obligation, desirability, or what is expected or advisable. It is always followed by a "to"-infinitive.
   • Used to indicate likelihood or probability: "ought" can also suggest that something is probable or logically expected, often with a perfect infinitive.

Usage Examples

• Duty or correctness:

  • You ought to apologize for your mistake. (You have a moral duty to say sorry.)
  • We ought to help those in need. (It is the right thing to do.)

• Likelihood or probability:

  • The train ought to arrive by noon. (It is expected to arrive at that time.)
  • She ought to have finished the report by now. (It is probable that she has completed it.)

Advanced Usage

• Negative form: "ought not to" (or "oughtn't to") is used to express that something is not advisable or correct.

  • You ought not to speak so loudly in the library. (It is not appropriate to speak loudly there.)

• Interrogative form: "Ought I to..." or "Ought we to..." is used to ask about obligation or advisability.

  • Ought I to tell him the truth? (Is it my duty to inform him?)

• Perfect infinitive: "ought to have + past participle" refers to a past action that was desirable but did not happen, or a past event that was expected.

  • You ought to have called me yesterday. (It was your duty to call, but you did not.)
  • The package ought to have arrived by now. (It was expected to arrive, but it hasn't.)

Variants and Related Words

• Oughtn't (contraction): short for "ought not".

  • He oughtn't to have said that. (He should not have said that.)

• Ought-to (phrasal noun, informal): a moral obligation or rule.

  • This is a clear ought-to in our code of conduct. (This is a clear duty in our rules.)

Synonyms

• Should: expresses advisability or obligation (similar in meaning but "ought" often implies a stronger moral force).
  • You should study for the exam. (Advisable.)
• Must: expresses necessity or strong obligation (stronger than "ought").
  • You must wear a seatbelt. (Required by law.)

Related Idioms

• Ought to be a law: used to express that something is so good or bad that it should be mandatory.

  • There ought to be a law against such rude behavior. (This behavior is so bad it should be prohibited.)

• As it ought to be: meaning "in the proper or expected manner".

  • The ceremony was conducted as it ought to be. (It was done correctly.)