Should vs Ought to | Difference Between Should and Ought to

“Should” and “ought” are modal verbs used in the English language to indicate advice, obligation, or necessity. They have similar meanings but are used in slightly different ways.

Should vs Ought to

Meaning of “should”

“Should” is a modal verb used to indicate advice, recommendation, or expectation. It can also be used to express obligation or necessity.

Meaning of “ought”

“Ought” is a modal verb used to indicate obligation, duty, or moral requirement. It is also used in combination with “to” or “not to”.

Differences between “should” and “ought” 

Should	Ought
Used to indicate advice, recommendation, or expectation	Used to indicate obligation, duty, or moral requirement
Used with varying degrees of obligation and necessity	Used with a sense of moral obligation
Can be used to express obligation or duty	Used exclusively to express obligation or duty
Used with verbs in the infinitive form	Used with verbs in the infinitive form
Used to make suggestions or give advice	Used to express a moral imperative
Can express regret or disappointment	Can express regret or disappointment
Can be used to express probability or expectation	Can be used to express expectation
Used in formal and informal situations	Used more in formal situations
Used to express the personal opinion	Used to express a moral obligation
Mostly used to express hypothetical situations	Rarely used to express hypothetical situations
Used in positive and negative contexts	Used only in negative contexts
Used to express past actions	Cannot be used to express past actions
Used to express a lesser degree of obligation or necessity	Used to express a strong sense of obligation or necessity

Usage of “should”

• Used to give advice.
• Used to express an expectation.
• Used to express obligation or duty.
• Used to express probability.
• Used to make a suggestion.
• Used to express regret or disappointment.

Examples of “should”

• You should eat more vegetables
• She should be here by now
• We should help our neighbors in need
• It should rain later today
• You should try this restaurant
• I should study hard for tomorrow’s exam

Usage of “ought”

• Used to indicate obligation or duty.
• Used to express a moral requirement.
• Used to express expectation.
• Used to make a suggestion.
• Used to express regret or disappointment.
• Used to express a strong likelihood.

Examples of “ought”

• She ought to apologize for what she said
• We ought to help those less fortunate
• He ought to know better than to arrive late
• You ought to see that movie
• I ought to have studied more before the exam
• She ought to be home by now

Conclusion

“Should” and “ought” are modal verbs used to indicate advice, obligation, or necessity. While they have similar meanings, they can be used in different contexts. Understanding the differences between the two can help you communicate more effectively in English.

Frequently Asked Questions:

1. Is it possible to use “should” and “ought to” in the past tense?

Yes, both modal verbs can be expressed in the past tense to refer to commitments or advice from the past. For instance:

“He should have studied more for the exam.”

“He ought to have finished that work by now.”

2. Is it possible to use “should” and “ought to” interchangeably?

In many circumstances, using “should” and “ought to” interchangeably is allowed. However, compared to “should,” using “ought to” could suggest a significantly greater feeling of moral obligation or duty.

3. Can we use “should” and “ought to” to talk about potential future results?

Yes, both modal verbs can be employed to talk about upcoming obligations, duties, or suggestions.

4. Do the words “should” and “ought to” indicate the same thing in all English dialects?

While the fundamental definitions are the same, differences between regions may affect which is used most frequently.

5. When giving advice, may “should” and “ought to” be used?

Both modal verbs are often used to offer advice or suggest any kind of actions.

6. Sentences for “should” and “ought to”.

Should:

She should arrive at the airport early to avoid missing her flight.

I think he should work hard to solve this problem.

Ought To:

She ought to apologize for her rude behavior.

We ought to help our neighbors during their time of need.