ought to (semi modal) – English Grammar Profiler

“Ought to” is similar to “should”, in that it can be used to give advice, express expectation, desired states, obligation, or high probability.

The “ought to-infinitive” construction is considered a semi-modal verb phrase because it shares characteristics with both modal verbs and main verbs. Like modal verbs, “ought to” does not change form for person. For example, we say “I ought to phone my parents” and “It ought to be easy now”, regardless of the subject.

However, unlike modal verbs, “ought to” is followed by ‘to-infinitive’. This is a characteristic it shares with main verbs, making it somewhat unique.

Furthermore, “ought to” and other semi-modal verbs like “used to” are always followed by TO-infinitives, unlike true modals which can never be followed by TO-infinitives.

In this sentence, “I ought to phone my parents.” it means that the speaker believes it is their duty or responsibility to call their parents. It could also imply that the speaker thinks it’s a good idea or the right thing to do.
In the context of the sentence “It ought to be easy now.”, “ought to” is a semi-modal verb that expresses an expectation or a high probability. The phrase “It ought to be easy now” suggests that it is expected to be easy now, or there is a high probability that it will be easy now. This could be based on the speaker’s knowledge, previous experience, or understanding of the situation. So, in summary, “ought to” in this context is used to express an expectation or likelihood about the current situation.

Profiling Research

A search for ‘ought’ in the English Grammar Profile shows that it is used from B1-C2 across 12 points. Most can be differentiated formally, while 4 points require manual interpretation to get the right level. Not only that, the difference between advice and ‘desired state’ is difficult to interpret. Advice is a form of guidance given to help someone, while a desired state (of affairs) is a goal or condition that someone aims to achieve. They are related in that advice can be given to help someone reach their desired state of affairs. For example, the statement “The contents ought to reflect the diversity of our society” can be seen as both advice and a desired state of affairs.

As advice, it suggests a course of action, implying that whoever is creating or curating the contents should ensure they represent the diversity of society.

As a desired state of affairs, it expresses a goal or aspiration for the contents to be diverse and representative of society.

So, in this context, the statement serves both purposes. It advises on what should be done (advice) and describes a preferred situation (desired state of affairs).

These are the 4 points which cannot be distinguished formally:

C1 in the category of Modality: used to talk about something which is likely. For example:

You ought to be pretty knowledgeable by now, then.

The Dark Knight

B2 in Modality is desired states
B1 in Modality is affirmative.
B1 in Verbs is semi-modal.

The others are formally found here:

All of them together are the 12 in the English Grammar Profile as such:

A collocate search for 5 spaces left and right on iWeb corpus:

1 THEREFORE 2322
2 OUGHT 1009

3 PRAY 793

4 CHRISTIANS 693

5 ASHAMED (adjective) 692

The phrase “You ought to be ashamed of yourself” is often used to express disapproval or disappointment towards someone’s actions. Here, “ought to” implies a moral obligation or expectation. When someone says “You ought to be ashamed of yourself”, they’re suggesting that the person’s actions were wrong, inappropriate, or hurtful, and that they should feel remorse or guilt for their actions. It’s a way of saying that the person should recognize their mistake and feel regret.

Because all the B1 examples in the EGP contain the subjects ‘you’ or ‘I’ with ‘ought to’, we can possibly note:

B2 complexity with a ‘range of subjects’ or even verbs.

Here are the search results for a search in the NOW corpus for:

_NN ought to _VVI

2 GOVERNMENT OUGHT TO TAKE 74
3 INVESTORS OUGHT TO CONSIDER 63

Given rising tensions across the world,

energy investors ought to consider the possible benefits

of homegrown fuel.

markets.businessinsider.com

4 PUBLIC OUGHT TO KNOW 59
5 CONTENTS OUGHT TO REFLECT 55

6 GOVERNMENT OUGHT TO CONSIDER 31
7 INVESTORS OUGHT TO TAKE 25
8 PEOPLE OUGHT TO GET 24
9 TURKS OUGHT TO UNDERTAKE 24
10 CLOCKS OUGHT TO FOLLOW 23
11 GOVERNMENT OUGHT TO LOOK 23
12 GOVERNMENT OUGHT TO PROVIDE 23
13 PEOPLE OUGHT TO TAKE 23
14 ADMINISTRATION OUGHT TO TAKE 22
15 GOVERNMENT OUGHT TO ENSURE 22
16 GOVERNMENT OUGHT TO MAKE 22
17 COURT OUGHT TO MAKE 20
18 GOVERNMENT OUGHT TO GIVE 20
19 INVESTORS OUGHT TO BUY 19
20 THINGS OUGHT TO WORK 19

Completed by AI:

The public ought to know about the government’s plans for healthcare reform.
The contents ought to reflect the diversity of our society.
The government ought to consider the environmental impact of this project.
Investors ought to take into account the volatility of the market.
People ought to get regular exercise to maintain their health.
The Turks ought to undertake more initiatives to promote cultural exchange.
The clocks ought to follow daylight saving time to conserve energy.
The government ought to look into the issue of income inequality.
The government ought to provide more funding for public education.
People ought to take responsibility for their own actions.
The administration ought to take steps to improve campus safety.
The government ought to ensure equal rights for all citizens.
The government ought to make healthcare more affordable for everyone.
The court ought to make a decision based on the evidence presented.
The government ought to give more support to small businesses.
Investors ought to buy stocks when prices are low.
These things ought to work properly after the recent maintenance.

B1 vocabulary: consider, contents, court, government, provide, public

B2: ensure, investors, reflect

Profiling Research

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