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Latest post Thu, Oct 26 2006 11:56 AM by Grammarian-bot. 2 replies.
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Grammarian-bot  +  285285 Wed, 25 Oct 06 05:17 AM

The passage below has been taken from American Heritage Book of English.

ought as auxiliary verb.  Ought is an auxiliary verb that usually takes to with its accompanying verb: We ought to go. Sometimes the accompanying verb is dropped if the meaning is clear: Should we begin soon? Yes, we ought to. In questions and negative sentences, especially those with contractions, to is also sometimes omitted: We ought not be afraid of the risks involved. Oughtn’t we be going soon? This omission of to, however, is not common in written English. Like must and auxiliary need, ought to does not change to show past tense: He said we ought to get moving along.

It says that "to " should not be ommitd in questions and negative sentences as in the following two sentences.

1. We ought not be afraid of the risks involved.

2. Oughtn’t we be going soon?

Please can soemone write the correct form of these sentences because the sentences sounds wired where I put "to". This is how I write them.

1. We ought not to be afraid of the risks involved.

2. Oughtn't we to be going soon?

GB

Joined on Sun, May 7 2006
PAKISTAN
Full Member 449
The best way to learn is to learn from your mistakes.
Clive  +  285305 Wed, 25 Oct 06 06:23 AM

Hi,

1. We ought not to be afraid of the risks involved.

2. Oughtn't we to be going soon?

These both sound fine to me.

Best wishes, Clive

Joined on Thu, Oct 28 2004
Canada
Veteran Member 29,633
El tango argentino es un pensamiento triste que se puede bailar (The tango argentino is a sad thought which can be danced) Enrique Santos Discépolo
Grammarian-bot, 3 yr 30 days ago

Thats it! I was expecting a lot of criticism. Well I hope they really are corret.

GB

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