Difference between ought to and should

[Mister Micawber]

Past perfect is used to clarify or emphasize the priority of two past events. In your sentence, the awareness came logically upon the reading; we know that you read and then soon became aware. Therefore, past perfect is uncalled for.

'Alive to' should be saved for much more emotional experiences than an understanding of grammar.
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Native English teacher at Mister Micawber's

[Madan Keshari]

I was not sure in this question

[Betty76]

Hi there! Thanks for reminding me of the modal "ought to". I never use it... Actually I've always read in my grammar books that it is out of fashion... and now I find out that I can use it in a spoken sentence like " I ought to help you with your shopping because you have a lot of bags"!

[Viriato]

Hi all,

I supposed the correct phrase was:
"I ought help you with your shopping because you have a lot of bags."

I believed that regular verb after modal verb was always in his simple form.
for example:

I should HELP you...
I could HELP you...
I will HELP you...
Can I HELP you...
May I HELP you...
but
I ought TO HELP you...

why after ought the verb help needs to be preceded by the word 'TO' ?

thank you
j

[Alan]

Hi,

This additional 'to' is an exceptional use different from other 'modal' verbs and has to do with the history of the word itself. It probably is connected with its association with the word 'owe', which has similar characteristics.

Alan
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[Marecki]

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Ought to....Could I say in English: You ought to take an application for a visa in the (an?) embassy?

[Mister Micawber]

You ought to apply for a visa at the embassy.-- This could be right, but what do you mean? Is the listener attempting to apply over the internet, for instance?
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[Marecki]

I don't know the meaning of the word to apply.It is a new word.We have used the form take an application for a visa is there any difference between these two verbs?What does it mean You ought to apply for a visa at the embassy?I am Polish and as you know if I wanted to go to the US I would need visa.I wanted to say that I should or I ought to take an application for a visa in the American Embassy.

[Mister Micawber]

You can start by using any DICTIONARY, Marecki, but you should be able to see, since your English is so good, that 'apply' and 'application' have the same root, and that the first must be the verb while the second is the noun.

Apply = make (NOT 'take') an application.

And I have already shown you how your sentence should read.
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Native English teacher at Mister Micawber's

[Marecki]

I didn't tell you that I go to school.We don't use any dictionaries at school.I understood the meaning of these two words.Thanks! The first word to apply is a verb whereas the second word application is a verb.

[Marecki]

Of course the word application is a noun .I am sorry