Modal verb: Ought to

"..People ought to know several things about the recent history.."





Ought is different from other auxiliary verbs. It is used with to.
We can use ought to instead of should in some contests.
example:
- Do you think I ought to apply for this course in particular?
- Yesterday it was a useful lesson in the university. You ought to have come.
- He has been studying hard for the exam, so he ought to pass.

Ought expresses duty, necessity, desirability and similar ideas. It is often used to advise people: to tell them that they have a duty to do things. The meaning is similar to should, is not as forceful as must. 
examples:
- You ought to attend school regularly. (Duty)
- You ought to help the needy. (Moral obligation)
- We ought to buy a new car, the other one has broken down. (Necessity)


NOTE:
Note that to is dropped in question tags.
- You ought to love your girlfriend, ought not you? (NOT…ought not you to.) 

Ought does not have infinitives (to ought) or participles (oughting, oughted). Questions and negatives are made without do.


BUT:
Ought is rarely used in questions and negatives; should is generally used instead. A structure with think … ought is also common.
examples:
- We ought to help them, shouldn’t we? (More natural than ought not we?)
- Do you think I ought to consult a doctor? (More natural than Ought I to consult a doctor?) 
- Should we tell her? (Less formal than Ought we to tell her?)

Modal verb: Would

example situation:

 He would need to get a break....










Would is another auxiliary verb, a modal auxiliary verb.
We use would mainly:

•  when we imagine a situation or action (like thinking to something that is not real):                                                                                                                            - It would be beautiful to live in a caste;                                                               - I would love to go on the moon;                                                                           - I would like to live in Spain 

• when would/wouldn't is the past of will/won't.                                    example:                                                                                                                                - I'll phone you on Saturday / He said he would phone on Saturday.                                                                                                                              - I promise I'll be on time / She promised she wouldn't be late

• in sentences with if:                                                                                                          - I would phone her if I had her number;                                                             - I would have phoned you if I had had her number                                   ..we will get back to this forms in some next Units..

• when we imagine actions or situations in the past that didn't happened:          - I didn't tell your brother you didn't go to school, he would have not been happy ;                                                                                                                                     - I am happy it didn't rain, otherwise the pic-nic would have been canceled.

COMPARE: 
Would (do) and Would have (done)
- I would invite Brian to my party, but he doesn't get along well with my sister after they broke up.. (now)
- I would have invited Brian to my party, but he wasn't a good situation for my sister too see him at the party..
(in the past) 

- I would cut my hair, if I have time. (now)
- I would have cut my hair, if I'd had time. (past) 


BUT:
We tend to use would especially when reminiscing about the past, telling a story or recollecting some regular or repeated thing we did long ago.

"When I was a child, we would visit my grandmother every Sunday afternoon. I would sit on my grandmother's knee and she'd sing me a song."

'Would' is more restricted in use than 'used to'.
..we will see these form in the next post..

Stay tuned!

Modal verb: Should

example:

Here the scientist suggests to his colleague:
"I think you should be more explicit here in step two..instead of writing then we need a miracle..."







You should do something = means it is the right thing (or a good thing) to do
Should is used to give advice or to give an opinion.
examples:
- Your English needs a review. You should study some grammar.
- The government should do something concrete to help this country.
- Should we invite Mark for my birthday? Of course, we should! 
- You shouldn't run, is very slippery.  (negative form)

• Should is not as strong as must or have to: - You should apologise to her (it would be a good thing to do) ; You must / have to apologise to her (you have no alternative)

• It is possible to use should when something is not right or what we expect: - I wonder where Matteo is. He should be already here by now; - The price of this book is wrong, it should be 10€ not 100€

• Should can be used to comment on something we expect: - There shouldn't be any problem on finding a Hostel in Barcelona in two weeks.

• Should is often used after some verbs like: DEMAND, INSIST, PROPOSE, RECOMMEND, SUGGEST

ALSO
Should is often used in the first conditional hypothetical constructions:                     if + should + infinitive:

example
- If you should happen to miss the train, I could drive you there myself.

- Should you wish to change your holiday arrangements, we will all we can to help.  (very formal situation, in written English)

we are going to review conditional situations a bit further

Modal verbs: Have to, Must

this guy was singing in 1965..


"..And nobody has ever taught you how to live on the street
And now you find out you're gonna have to get used to it..."
 



Have to do something means that it is necessary to do it: is used to express a strong obligation. 
examples: 
- I have to arrive at work before 8 o'clock tomorrow morning, I have a client at 8,30.
- You have to pass your last five exams get the bachelor degree.
- I have to send a my report by the end of the week.

- Matteo doesn't have to work on Saturdays. (negative form)

- Why did you have to go so early yesterday evening? (questions)

- I don't know if I can come to the seaside next weekend, I might have to work. (have to with might)

the same man has been telling us about another story saying:

"..How many roads must a man walk down,
before you call him a man?
How many seas must a white dove sail,
before she sleeps in the sand?
yes and how many times must a cannon ball fly.."

  

[...This lyrics excite abstract statements rather than particular and specific examples. They excite both the imagination and emotions, it enables you to unlock your own highly personal box of images, memories, connections and associations. Keep them in your mind as they are beautiful songs...] 

Must is similar to have to:
- You must come and see us again soon.
- You have to come and see us again soon. (is also possible)

• Must can be used to give your personal opinion, to say what you think is necessary or to recommend somebody to do something. But have to is also possible: - They must do something about it.  - I must say, I don't think you were very nice to her. 

• Must to show that we are certain something is true. Actually, we are making a logical deduction based upon some clear evidence or reason: - You must be worried that she didn't call you yet. - It must be nice to live in Marbella in summer. 

• Must is often used in written rules and instructions: - Application forms for the job must received by October the 10th. - In this exam, pencils are not allowed, you must write your answers in ink.

NOTE:

Have to to express a strong obligation. 

When we use have to this usually means that the speaker is not giving his personal opinion, but rather some external circumstance makes the obligation necessary:

- I have to work from 9 to 6 o'clock, every day. (this is a fact, not an opinion)

- I have to pass my last exam or the university won't accept me.

ALSO

Especially, in British English, have got to is used to mean the same as have to.

- Ciccio is a bartender. He's got to work mainly at weekends.

- Have I got to do it right now?

 

BUT

Mustn't and don't have to are completely different:

 

You mustn't do something = it is necessary that you do not do it:

- You must keep the secret! You mustn't tell anyone

- You mustn't phone me at work. We aren't allowed to receive any personal calls. 

You don't have to do something = you don't need to do it, but you can if you want:
- You don't have to tell them, but you can if want to.
- I don't have to go to lesson today, but I'll think I'll go anyway.