ought to
Translation
ought to, should
Examples
You ought to apologize.
You ought to apologise.
He ought to be here by now.
He ought to be here by now.
Grammar Patterns
ought ((to-inf)) to express duty or correctness You ought to finish your homework.
ought to be ((sth.)) to express what is expected This ought to be the right address.
Similar Words
Synonyms: should, must
Etymology
From Old English 'āhte', past tense of 'āgan' (to own), which evolved to mean 'to have as a duty'.
Memory Tips
Think of 'ought to' as a more formal version of 'should'. It implies a strong sense of duty or correctness.