Ought To

 

"Ought to" is used to advise or make recommendations. "Ought to" also expresses assumption or expectation as well as strong probability, often with the idea that something is deserved. "Ought not" (without "to") is used to advise against doing something, although Americans prefer the less formal forms "should not" or "had better not."

Examples:

• You ought to stop smoking. recommendation
• Jim ought to get the promotion. It is expected because he deserves it.
• This stock ought to increase in value. probability
• Mark ought not drink so much. advice against something (notice there is no "to")

Using "Ought to" in Present, Past, and Future

Most modal verbs behave quite irregularly in the past and the future. Study the chart below to learn how "ought to" behaves in different contexts.

Modal Use	Positive Forms 1. = Present   2. = Past   3. = Future	Negative Forms 1. = Present   2. = Past   3. = Future	You can also use:
ought to recommendation, advice	1. Margaret ought to exercise more. 2. Margaret ought to have exercised more so she would be better prepared for the marathon. 3. Margaret ought to come to the fitness center with us tonight.	1. Margaret ought not exercise too much. It might cause injury. 2. Margaret ought not have run the marathon. She wasn't in good shape. 3. Margaret ought not stay at home in front of the TV. She should go to the fitness center with us.	should
ought to assumption, expectation, probability	1. She ought to have the package by now. 2. She ought to have received the package yesterday.	"Ought not" is used primarily to express negative recommendations. (See above.)	should

HAVE GOT TO

HAVE GOT TO

 

"Have got to" is used to express necessity and obligation.

Examples:

• Drivers have got to get a license to drive a car in the US. necessity
• I have got to be at work by 8:30 AM. obligation

Using "Have Got to" in Present, Past, and Future

Most modal verbs behave quite irregularly in the past and the future. Study the chart below to learn how "have got to" behaves in different contexts.

Use	Positive Forms 1. = Present   2. = Past   3. = Future	Negative Forms 1. = Present   2. = Past   3. = Future	You can also use:
have got to necessity	1. People have got to be on time if they want to get a seat in the crowded theater. 2. SHIFT TO "HAVE TO" You had to be on time if you wanted to get a seat in the crowded theater. 3. You have got to be there on time tonight if you want to get a seat in the crowded theater.	1. SHIFT TO "HAVE TO" People don't have to be there on time to get a seat. 2. SHIFT TO "HAVE TO" You didn't have to be there on time to get a seat. 3. SHIFT TO "HAVE TO" You won't have to be there on time to get a seat.	have to, must
haven't got to future obligation		Haven't you got to be there by 7:00? Haven't you got to finish that project today? "Haven't got to" is primarily used to ask about future obligations. It can be used in statements, but this is less common.	Don't you have to

 

HAD BETTER

 HAD BETTER 

 

We use “had better” plus the infinitive without “to”  to give advice. Although “had” is the past form of “have”, we use “had better” to give advice about the present or future.

• You'd better tell her everything.
• I'd better get back to work.
• We'd better meet early.

The negative form is “had better not”.

• You'd better not say anything.
• I'd better not come.
• We'd better not miss the start of his presentation.

We use “had better” to give advice about specific situations, not general ones. If you want to talk about general situations, you must use “should”.

• You should brush your teeth before you go to bed.
• I shouldn't listen to negative people.
• He should dress more appropriately for the office.

When we give advice about specific situations, it is also possible to use “should”.

• You shouldn't say anything.
• I should get back to work.
• We should meet early.

However, when we use “had better” there is a suggestion that if the advice is not followed, that something bad will happen.

• You'd better do what I say or else you will get into trouble.
• I'd better get back to work or my boss will be angry with me.
• We'd better get to the airport by five or else we may miss the flight 

 

Had Better

"Had better" is most commonly used to make recommendations. It can also be used to express desperate hope as well as warn people.

Examples:

• You had better take your umbrella with you today. recommendation
• That bus had better get here soon! desperate hope
• You had better watch the way you talk to me in the future! warnin

Using "Had Better" in Present, Past, and Future

Most modal verbs behave quite irregularly in the past and the future. Study the chart below to learn how "had better" behaves in different contexts.

Use	Positive Forms 1. = Present   2. = Past   3. = Future	Negative Forms 1. = Present   2. = Past   3. = Future	You can also use:
had better recommendation	1. SHIFT TO "SHOULD" OR "OUGHT TO" People should unplug toasters before they clean them.2. SHIFT TO "SHOULD HAVE" OR "OUGHT TO HAVE" You should have unplugged the toaster before you tried to clean it. 3. You had better unplug the toaster before you try to clean it.	1. SHIFT TO "SHOULD" OR "OUGHT TO" People shouldn't clean toasters without unplugging them first.2. SHIFT TO "SHOULD HAVE" OR "OUGHT TO HAVE" You shouldn't have cleaned the toaster without unplugging it first. 3. You had better not clean the toaster until you unplug it.	should, ought to
had better desperate hope, warning	The movie had better end soon.They had better be here before we start dinner. Desperate hopes and warnings usually refer to the near future.	They had better not be late.They had better not forget Tom's birthday gift. Desperate hopes and warnings usually refer to the near future.

Modal Verbs

MUST 
This auxiliary may indicate or can be used for an obligation.

Examples:

• You must see a doctor! you have a cold.
• You must do your homework.  

NEED
We will use the word "Need" to say we need to do something.

Examples:

• I need some water please.  
• I need you to go to the fruit store to buy some oranges.

HAVE TO
We will use the auxiliary "have to" to express an obligation but not as rigid as someone or something must have asked us to do.

Examples:

• I have to go to the park with my friends. 
• She has to clean up her house.  

MIGHT

MODAL VERB MIGHT

 Structure

Positive form

Subject + might + infinitive + Complement

Examples:

- Juan might travel to Canada next March.
- The teacher might cancel classes today.

Negative form

Subject + might not + infinitive + Complement

Examples:

- Brian might not go out tonight because he is feeling a bit sick.
- They might not stay. It is too cold

Might

The verb 'Might' express probability or possibility. It is used when we want to say
 it might, perhaps, maybe.

Affirmative
They might be waiting for us at the station.
This might be our only chance.
I might lose my job.
Harry might write soon.
You might find a solution.
We might be going the wrong way.
I might call you tomorrow.

Negative
Sylvia might not live there anymore.
We might not know everything.
It might not rain tonight.

Interrogative

Might I give you a piece of advice?

Might we speak to you for a moment?

Modal Verb Might

Might

"Might" is most commonly used to express possibility. It is also often used in conditional sentences. English speakers can also use "might" to make suggestions or requests, although this is less common in American English.

Examples:

• Your purse might be in the living room. possibility
• If I didn't have to work, I might go with you. conditional
• You might visit the botanical gardens during your visit. suggestion
• Might I borrow your pen? request

Using "Might" in Present, Past, and Future

Most modal verbs behave quite irregularly in the past and the future. Study the chart below to learn how "might" behaves in different contexts.

Modal Use	Positive Forms 1. = Present   2. = Past   3. = Future	Negative Forms 1. = Present   2. = Past   3. = Future	You can also use:
might possibility	1. She might be on the bus. I think her car is having problems. 2. She might have taken the bus. I'm not sure how she got to work. 3. She might take the bus to get home. I don't think Bill will be able to give her a ride.	1. She might not be on the bus. She might be walking home. 2. She might not have taken the bus. She might have walked home. 3. She might not take the bus. She might get a ride from Bill.	could, may
might conditional of may	1. If I entered the contest, I might actually win. 2. If I had entered the contest, I might actually have won. 3. If I entered the contest tomorrow, I might actually win. Unfortunately, I can't enter it.	1. Even if I entered the contest, I might not win. 2. Even if I had entered the contest, I might not have won. 3. Even if I entered the contest tomorrow, I might not win.
might suggestion	1. NO PRESENT FORM 2. You might have tried the cheese cake. 3. You might try the cheesecake.	1. NO PRESENT FORM 2. PAST FORM UNCOMMON 3. You might not want to eat the cheese cake. It's very calorific.	could
might request (British form)	Might I have something to drink? Might I borrow the stapler? Requests usually refer to the near future.	NEGATIVE FORMS UNCOMMON	could, may, can

REMEMBER: "Might not" vs. "Could not"
"Might not" suggests you do not know if something happens. "Could not" suggests that it is impossible for something to happen.

Examples:

• Jack might not have the key. Maybe he does not have the key.
• Jack could not have the key. It is impossible that he has the key.

Can Vs Be able to

CAN AND BE ABLE TO

Can and be able to are often interchangeable and you can usually use either one without a difference in meaning.  But not always.

Can is a  modal auxiliary verb that expresses general ability in the Present tense, or could for general ability in the Past tense.

Be able to is not a modal auxiliary verb, it’s just the verb “be” + the adverb “able” + the infinitive “to”. 

Present Ability. We use both can and be able to, but can is much more common:

✔ James can speak three languages.

✔ James is able to speak three languages.

Future Ability. We only use will be able to to talk about a future skill or ability that you don’t have yet, but you will have in the future. We never use can for an ability that you will only have in the future:

                       ✔ When I finish training I will be able to run a 5 minute mile.

                      ✘ When I finish training I can run a 5 minute mile.

We use either can or be able to when we are talking about decisions and future arrangements:

                       ✔ The doctor can see you next Monday.

                       ✔ The doctor is able to see you next Monday.

                       ✔ Mom can drive you to school tomorrow.

                       ✔ Mom is able to drive you to school tomorrow.

MODAL VERB MUST

Must

"Must" is most commonly used to express certainty. It can also be used to express necessity or strong recommendation, although native speakers prefer the more flexible form "have to." "Must not" can be used to prohibit actions, but this sounds very severe; speakers prefer to use softer modal verbs such as "should not" or "ought not" to dissuade rather than prohibit.

Examples:

• This must be the right address! certainty
• Students must pass an entrance examination to study at this school. necessity
• You must take some medicine for that cough. strong recommendation
• Jenny, you must not play in the street! prohibition

MODAL VERB SHOULD

Should

"Should" is most commonly used to make recommendations or give advice. It can also be used to express obligation as well as expectation.

Examples:

• When you go to Berlin, you should visit the palaces in Potsdam. recommendation
• You should focus more on your family and less on work. advice
• I really should be in the office by 7:00 AM. obligatio
• By now, they should already be in Dubai. expectation

BE ABLE TO

BE ABLE TO

The BE ABLE TO meaning is similar to CAN and - as indicated above - used in tenses that CAN can not be reconciled.

BE ABLE TO IS USED:

SIMPLE PRESENT 
I can read in Inglés = I am able to read in Inglés
I can read (I can read) English.

SIMPLE PAST 
I Could read in Inglés = I was able to read in Inglés
He could read (I could read) English.

However, for the remaining tenses have to use BE ABLE TO CAN replacing. BE ABLE TO not being a modal auxiliary, can be used without limitations in all tenses.

SIMPLE FUTURE 
I will be able to read in English.
  I can read in English will is wrong.
I can read (I'll know read) English.

SIMPLE CONDITIONAL 
I would be able to read in English
  I would can read in English is wrong.
You could read (I would know read) English.

PRESENT PERFECT 
I have been able to read in English
  I have can read in English is wrong.
I have read (I have heard read) English.