Inchoateknowledge  +  247586 Fri, 21 Jul 06 10:26 AM there are some oddities I have just dug up in a grammar book and in which you might be interested: Marginal modal auxiliaries: used to, ought to, need, dare used to: He usedn't to smoke. He did not use to smoke. He used to drink, did he not. Did he use to drink? ought to: Ought I to stop smoking? Yes, you ought (to). You oughtn't to stop smoking. You do not ought to stop smoking. dare, need: may act as modals and full verbs. The modal usage is restricted to non-assertive contexts, negatives, to if clauses. Inchoateknowledge Joined on Wed, May 3 2006 Senior Member 2,549 Beep! Beep! :) Grammar, Verbs, Clauses, Negatives, Auxiliaries, Modals, Modal Auxiliaries

	Marius Hancu  +  247614 Fri, 21 Jul 06 01:36 PM >He usedn't to smoke. Strange to me, but ... you may enjoy these:-) http://forum.wordreference.com/showthread.php?t=24673 http://tinyurl.com/ztoew Marius Hancu Joined on Wed, Apr 26 2006 Veteran Member 11,673

	Goodman  +  247666 Fri, 21 Jul 06 05:21 PM  Inchoateknowledge wrote: there are some oddities I have just dug up in a grammar book and in which you might be interested: Marginal modal auxiliaries: used to, ought to, need, dare used to: He usedn't to smoke. He did not use to smoke. He used to drink, did he not. Did he use to drink? ought to: Ought I to stop smoking? Yes, you ought (to). You oughtn't to stop smoking. You do not ought to stop smoking. dare, need: may act as modals and full verbs. The modal usage is restricted to non-assertive contexts, negatives, to if clauses. I think the grammar book you are using is confusing you more than helping you. In m opinion, I think you will probably beneift more by reading Reader Digest.  I never heard people say "usedn't " nor "oughtn't" in my life. To me this is odd-ball English.   Goodman Joined on Mon, Nov 7 2005 Senior Member 3,816 The name says it all! Grammar, Verbs, Clauses, Negatives, Auxiliaries, Modals, Modal Auxiliaries

	rvw  +  247672 Fri, 21 Jul 06 05:44 PM A grammar book I use lists the following as the modal auxiliaries: can/could may-might will/would shall/should must ought and the following as modal-like auxiliaries: had better have got get (to) have (to) be able be supposed be bound I've never heard of usedn't, or You do not ought to stop smoking.  I would say He used to not smoke and You should not stop smoking. rvw Joined on Sun, Nov 28 2004 Woodstock, Georgia, USA Full Member 350 Grammar, Auxiliaries, Modals, Modal Auxiliaries