ought to
modal verb
uk/ˈɔːt ˌtə/us/ˈɑːt ˌtə/ought tomodal verb(DUTY)
B1
used to show when it isnecessaryor would be a good thing toperformtheactivityreferred to by thefollowingverb:
（表示做某事有必要、值得或有利）应该，应当[+ infinitive]You ought to bekinderto him.你应该对他好一点。
We ought not/oughtn't tohaveagreedwithoutknowingwhat it wouldcost.不知道它的费用，我们本不应该同意的。
"We ought to be gettingreadynow." "Yes, Iguesswe ought (to)."“我们现在应该做好准备了。”“对，我想是的。”
- If there's anydoubtabout the rocket'sengines, we ought tocancelthelaunch.
- I'msurprisedat youbehavingsobadly- you ought toknowbetter.
- Thatchildought to be inbed.
- Whoeveruprootedthattreeought to beashamedof themselves.
- Men and women ought to beabletocompeteforjobson anequalfooting.
Duty, obligation and responsibility
- accountable
- answer forsomething
- answerable
- baby
- brother
- domain
- fail
- fiefdom
- gotta
- had better/best dosomethingidiom
- hat
- havesomethingonyourhandsidiom
- payyourduesidiom
- pigeon
- portfolio
- purview
- remit
- responsibility
- someone'sanswer tosomeone/somethingidiom
- stick
ought tomodal verb(PROBABLE)
B2
used toexpresssomething that youexpectwillhappen:
（表示期望某事发生）该，应该He ought to behomeby seven o'clock.7点前他应该到家了。
They ought tohavearrivedatlunchtimebut theflightwasdelayed.他们本该在午饭时到达，可是航班延误了。
If you show thereceipt, there ought not to be anydifficultygettingyourmoneyback.如果你出示收据，退钱给你应该不成问题。
- Intheory, thejourneyought to take threehours, but inpracticeit usuallytakesfour because ofroadworks.
- Thissauceneedsabitofflavour- Iknow, somelemonjuiceought to do thetrick.
- Yourrashought toclearupquicklyif you use thisointmentregularly.
- He took hisumbrellaso he ought not to getwet.
- Mum ought to behomefromworkby now, so I'll give her aring.
Possible and probable
- always
- anything's possibleidiom
- arguably
- as never beforeidiom
- auspiciously
- bea safe betidiom
- bet
- fair
- it isn't over until the fat lady singsidiom
- lean
- lean towards sth
- liable
- likelihood
- manage
- maybe
- probably
- prospective
- prospectively
- realm
- tip
Grammar
Dare,need,ought toandused to(semi-modal verbs)
Dare, need, ought to and used to are often called semi-modal because in some ways they are formed like modal verbs and in some ways they are like other main verbs.…Ought to
Ought to is a semi-modal verb because it is in some ways like a modal verb and in some ways like a main verb. For example, unlike modal verbs, it is followed by to, but like modal verbs, it does not change form for person:…Ought to: form
Ought to comes first in the verb phrase (after the subject and before another verb):…Ought to: uses
We use ought to when talking about things which are desired or ideal:…Ought toorshould?
Ought to and should are similar in meaning. Should is more common than ought to. Ought to is more formal than should:…Shouldandought to
Should and ought to have similar meanings and uses. Ought to is more formal and less common than should:…