
Examples of ought in a sentence: 1. I ought to have been with him. 2. Harry ought not to have cast me off. 3. People ought to be careful.
What is the meaning of ought in English?
English Language Learners Definition of ought. —used to indicate what is expected. —used to say or suggest what should be done. See the full definition for ought in the English Language Learners Dictionary.
Can you put ought to in the past or future?
After ought to, you use the infinitive, the basic form of the verb. And similar to most modals, you can’t put them in the past or in the future. Although you can make a past form of ought to with ought to have + V3. Like this:
How do you make a question with ought to?
Questions with ought to are unusual, because they’re very formal. They are made by turning round the subject and the verb, so that ought comes first, then the subject, and then to. Ought she to see a doctor?
Can you speak perfect English without using “a ought to”?
In fact, you can speak perfect English without using ought to even once in your life. What’s more, many people say that Americans will never say ought to. That’s not quite true, though, because I’ve heard Americans say ought to. And if you read the quotations by famous people in this article, you’ll see that some are by Americans.
When checking a sentence for correct grammar, what do you need to do?
What is auto correct sentence checker?
Can you join two complete sentences without punctuation?
Is grammar more complicated than it is?
Is a sentence fragment a complete sentence?

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Thank you all for such a memorable day. You all have given me much to hold on to but I will cherish this day forever more. As it poured down rain this evening, I couldn’t help but think…Thats Granddad, Grandma and our baby Jenny letting us know that they were there, sharing this very moment. For it is the love they shared with us that we too could share with each other.
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Examples of ought in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web: Auxiliary verb Ordinarily, in a case involving defamation claims by a public figure, the media ought to feel very confident because the standard established by the New York Times vs. Sullivan case from 1964 is an extraordinarily high bar. — Taylor Wilson, USA TODAY, 4 Feb.
History and Etymology for ought
Middle English oughte (1st & 3rd singular present indicative), from oughte, 1st & 3rd singular past indicative & subjunctive of owen to own, owe — more at owe
And here are some more facts about ought to
Ought to is a modal verb. Modal verbs are verbs like can, have to, must, should, will.
The Meaning of Ought To in the Past
In the past, ought to expresses regret at something that should have been.
Negatives in the Past
You ought not to have eaten that piece of cake. I reserved it for Grandma.
Quiz
This quiz is on intermediate level, which means there are no sentences with ought to in the past.
When checking a sentence for correct grammar, what do you need to do?
When you check the sentence for correct grammar, you need to analyze the relationship between each word, the clauses, the punctuation used, and how the structure of the sentence comes together. It takes not just time and effort but a level of knowledge that people often don’t have.
What is auto correct sentence checker?
Our auto correct sentence checkers offer extensive proofreading solution that can easily correct writing mistakes of your content, dissertation or resume. You can finally submit with confidence a 100% error-free paper that will meet the standards of your readers. We make it a point to as for your hard work to pay off by making it easier on your part to access top proofreading help.
Can you join two complete sentences without punctuation?
Two complete sentences cannot be joined without proper punctuation. Such a mistake is called a run-on sentence. Even if you join such complete sentences with a comma, it would be considered a comma splice. Two or more complete sentences must be separated with a period and written as separate thoughts.
Is grammar more complicated than it is?
However, this is very far from the truth. The fact of the matter is that for most people grammar is much more complicated and difficult than they remember , and it can have a huge effect on the quality of their writing and how well it is received by the reader.
Is a sentence fragment a complete sentence?
Let’s discuss the main of them. The sentence must contain a subject and a verb, otherwise, it will be considered a sentence fragment, not a complete sentence. Two complete sentences cannot be joined without proper punctuation.
When checking a sentence for correct grammar, what do you need to do?
When you check the sentence for correct grammar, you need to analyze the relationship between each word, the clauses, the punctuation used, and how the structure of the sentence comes together. It takes not just time and effort but a level of knowledge that people often don’t have.
What is auto correct sentence checker?
Our auto correct sentence checkers offer extensive proofreading solution that can easily correct writing mistakes of your content, dissertation or resume. You can finally submit with confidence a 100% error-free paper that will meet the standards of your readers. We make it a point to as for your hard work to pay off by making it easier on your part to access top proofreading help.
Can you join two complete sentences without punctuation?
Two complete sentences cannot be joined without proper punctuation. Such a mistake is called a run-on sentence. Even if you join such complete sentences with a comma, it would be considered a comma splice. Two or more complete sentences must be separated with a period and written as separate thoughts.
Is grammar more complicated than it is?
However, this is very far from the truth. The fact of the matter is that for most people grammar is much more complicated and difficult than they remember , and it can have a huge effect on the quality of their writing and how well it is received by the reader.
Is a sentence fragment a complete sentence?
Let’s discuss the main of them. The sentence must contain a subject and a verb, otherwise, it will be considered a sentence fragment, not a complete sentence. Two complete sentences cannot be joined without proper punctuation.

What Does “Ought To” Mean?
How to Use “Ought To” in A Sentence
- Now that we know what “ought to” means, we ought to have a look at some example sentences, so that we’re certain we know how to use it properly. 1. You ought to know that I will kick him in the face if I ever see him again. 2. Don’t you think you ought to be a little less violent? 3. I’m not really interested inwhat I ought to do right now. 4. He o...
Is “Ought To” Proper English
- “Ought to” is absolutely proper English. “Ought” is a valid word. If you don’t believe us, try checking the Cambridge, Merriam-Webster, and Collinsdictionaries. Also, you ought to be a little more trusting. “Ought to” is nowhere near as popular as its prettier cousin, “should”, as evidenced by this lovely Google Ngramgraph. However, it has managed to make an impact on popular culture. Che…
Ought vs. Ought to
- Now you’ll probably have noticed that, throughout this article, we’ve been discussing “ought to” as a phrase rather than just the word “ought”. This is because “ought to” is actually something called a quasi-modal auxiliary verb. What a mouthful! Don’t worry though, it’s not as complicated as it sounds. It just means that “ought” needs to be combined with “to” when it’s modifying a verb.A f…
Ought to vs. Should
- “Ought to” is a synonym for “should” when the latter is being used to discuss duty and probability, i.e., things that need to happen and things that are likely to happen. As such, “should” can replace “ought to” in any scenario. Let’s test this theory with some of our example sentences from earlier: 1. He ought tobe a little shorter. 2. He shouldbe a little shorter. 3. You ought tostart running now…
Ought to – Synonyms
- The best option for a synonym for “ought to” will always be “should”. We’ve gathered some other options below, but these are all words that imply a stronger obligation than “ought to”: 1. Need 2. Must 3. Have to 4. Obligated to
Final Thoughts
- “Ought to” is a modal verb that is used to express the conditional, i.e., things that should happen or are likely to happen. “Ought” is always followed by “to” except when it is used in the negative form, “ought not”.