Modal Verbs Ought to, Should

Modal Verbs Ought to, Should

Imperative Meaning

Suppositional Meaning

1. Advice should + Non-Perfect Infinitive/Non-Perfect Continuous Infinitive ought to + Non-Perfect Infinitive/Non-Perfect Continuous Infinitive (“ought to” implies moral obligation) E.g. You ought to be more polite to your elders. You ought to know better. They should be doing their homework, not playing. 2. Criticism of some past action should + Perfect Infinitive/Perfect Continuous Infinitive ought to + Perfect Infinitive/Perfect Continuous Infinitive E.g. You shouldn’t have been so rude. They oughtn’t to have drawn attention to the problem. We ought to have settled it ourselves. He should’ve been trying harder while there was still some chance of getting the job. Translation:“(не) надо было, (не) стоило, (не) следовало ”

1. Near certainty (only about the present or the future) E.g. Flowers should grow well here. Flowers ought to grow well here. In the negative sentences or the sentences referring to the future “ought to” is almost never used in this meaning. “Probably”, “be likely to” or “should” are used. E.g. There shouldn’t be any people there tomorrow. ~ Probably there won't be any people there tomorrow.

Note 1: Set expressions

E.g. Why should I do it?

Why should he have argued?

Translation: “С какой стати...?” “Чего ради…?”

Дата добавления: 2015-11-05