Master confusing words with ease
Ought to vs. Had ought to
Ought to
/ɔːt tuː/Examples:
She ought to finish her homework before dinner.You ought to apologize for being late to the meeting.They ought to plan their holiday well in advance.
Synonyms:
Antonyms:
Had ought to
/hæd ˈɔːt tuː/Examples:
You had ought to listen to their advice on this matter.Considering the circumstances, we had ought to proceed carefully.Before leaving, she had ought to check the weather forecast.
Synonyms:
Antonyms:
Ways to tell them apart:
- Ought to is the standard phrase, whereas had ought to is considered incorrect or archaic.
- Remember that ought to can stand alone as it already implies necessity or duty without the need for additional helping verbs.
- Avoid using had with ought to because it introduces redundancy, similar to saying had should.
- Stick with ought to when expressing obligation to keep your language clear and correct.
- Think of ought to as self-sufficient; it doesnt need partners like had' to convey its meaning.
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