7. OUGHT TO and USED TO

Ought to

Ought to  is a semi-modal verb because it can function as a modal verb and can also act as a main verb. Unlike the modal verbs, it is followed by preposition to , making the main verb that follows it an infinitive, but like the modal verbs, it does not change form for person such as taking an –s for the third person singular. Ought to  can be replaced by should  as they both have about the same meaning. Ought to  can be used in the negative and contracted forms as ought not to  or oughtn’t to .

Ought to  comes after the subject and before the main verb in a sentence.

Examples:

  • I  ought to  eat less to reduce my waistline.
  • It  ought to  be our pet if we can catch it.
  • She  ought to  do something about her bad cough.
  • We  ought to  leave now as the others are waiting for us.
  • You  ought to  be ashamed of yourself for doing what you have done.
  • He  ought to  have kept his appointment and be here by now, but there’s no sight of him.
  • Your parents  ought to  arrive home shortly if they are not stuck in a traffic jam.
  • If you have not done anything wrong, you  ought not   to  be so afraid of your boss.  Â

Ought to  is not used with another modal verb.

Examples:

  • They ought to  tell the truth about what happened.
    Not: They  must ought to  tell the truth about what happened.

Should  can be used in place of ought to .

Examples:

  • Given his height, he  ought to  play basketball.
  • Given his height, he  should  play basketball.
  • You  ought to  be kinder to animals and insects.
  • You  should  be kinder o animals and insects. .

Should not/shouldn’t  can take the place ought not/oughtn’t

Examples:

  • You  ought not to  /  oughtn't to  have fed your fat dog so much.
  • You  should not  /  shouldn't  have fed your fat dog so much.
  • You  ought not to  /  oughtn't to  add so much salt to my soup.
  • You  should not  /  shouldn't  add so much salt to my soup.

When  ought to  is used in a negative statement, the word  not  comes between  ought  and  to :  ought not to . It can be contracted as  oughtn’t . Other negative words such as  doesn’t ,  don’t , and  didn’t  are not used with  ought to .

Examples:

  • We  ought   not  to have spent so much time arguing.
  • Not : We don't ought  to have spent so much time arguing.
  • You  oughtn't  to have been so rude to your grandfather.
  • Not : You didn't ought  to have been so rude to your grandfather.

Ought to in questions

In questions, the subject is placed between ought  and to . Ought to  is rarely used. The modal verb should  is a better replacement for ought to  in questions. Auxiliary verbs used in questions such as does and do are not used together with ought to in questions.

Examples:

  • Ought   we  to  call her about the appointment? 
  • Not : Do  we ought to  call her about the appointment?
  • Ought   she  to  tell her parents why her eyes are all red and swollen?  
  • Not : Does  she ought to  tell her parents why her eyes are all red and swollen?
  • Should   we call her about the appointment?
  • Should   she tell her parents why her eyes are all red and swollen?

Used to

The semi-modal used to  is used to show a habitual action that was true in the past, but it no longer happens or is no longer true. It is used with the base form of a verb.

Examples:

  • She  used to  have a beautifully shaped body. (Not any more)
  • When the sisters were younger, they  used to  wear the miniskirt.
  • He  used to  train lions until he was badly mauled by a lioness.
  • When we were children, we used to  go into the woods to pick wild mushrooms.
  • My grandmother  used to  put on bright red lipstick when she was younger. .

Question and negative statement

Questions and negative statements using  used to  are formed in the same way as those using the main verbs. As  used to  is used to refer to a past habit, the questions and negative statements can only be used in the past tense. In questions, the past tense did  is used before the subject, and the  used  of  used to  is changed to the present tense  use .

Examples:

  • "Did you cry for your mother when you were a child?" (Main verb in past tense)
  • " Did  you  use to  cry for your mother when you were a child? .
  • " Did  he  use to  get into a lot of trouble in his youth?"
  • "I  didn't use to  cry for my mother when I was a child." .
  • "He  didn't use to  get into a lot of trouble in his youth." .

Be used to and gerund.

When  be used to  is used before a gerund or noun phrase, it is used to mean to be accustomed to . Here, the auxiliary verb be  comes before used to , and also before the word not  in negative statements. It also comes before the subject if it is a question.

Examples:

  • I  am used to  staying up late to watch movies on television. .
  • My family  is used to  keeping dogs as pets.
  • We  are used to  the constant noise of the traffic outside.
  • We  were  soon  used to  our new urban environment.
  • I  was not used to  sleeping in the dark when I was a child.
  • She  was not  ( wasn't )  used to  spicy food.
  • Are   you  used to  living with your roommate's snoring? .
  • Is   the family  used to  the drunkard father? 

As stated,  used to  is used for past habits. It is not used in a present form. The following examples show a habit that is till being practiced, and a shop that is still open for business. Â

Examples:

  • No : He used to cook  turkey soup with a chopped-up stalk of celery.
    (The sentence says he's no longer cooking turkey soup.)
  • Yes : I cook  turkey soup with a chopped-up stalk of celery.
    (To show   he's still cooking turkey soup, used to  must not be used.)
  • No : There used to b e a greengrocer's shop at the end of this row of shops.
  • Yes : There is  a greengrocer's shop at the end of this row of shops.