Ought example sentences

Related (7): should, must, obligation, duty, responsibility, advisable, recommended

"Ought" Example Sentences

  1. You ought to call your mother — she's been worried sick.
  2. I ought to have left earlier, but I got stuck in traffic anyway.
  3. They ought to fix that pothole before someone gets hurt.
  4. She knew she ought to apologize, but pride got in the way.
  5. We ought to start saving money if we want to buy a house.
  6. He ought to know better than to trust that guy.
  7. Honestly, you ought to see a doctor about that cough.
  8. They ought to have told us the truth from the beginning.
  9. I ought to be working right now, but I'm too tired.
  10. You ought not to believe everything you read online.
  11. She ought to be proud of what she's accomplished.
  12. We ought to leave in ten minutes if we want to make the flight.
  13. He ought to apologize for what he said last night.
  14. They ought to know that this won't work — it never does.
  15. I ought to have listened to my gut feeling about him.
  16. You ought to try the new restaurant downtown — it's amazing.
  17. She ought to take a break; she's been working nonstop.
  18. We ought to discuss this before making any decisions.
  19. He ought to be ashamed of himself for treating her that way.
  20. They ought to have prepared better for the presentation.
  21. I ought to stop procrastinating and finish this project.
  22. You ought to know that I'm not angry — just disappointed.
  23. She ought to consider moving closer to her family.
  24. We ought to be grateful for what we have.
  25. He ought to understand why she left him.
  26. They ought to invest in better equipment for the team.
  27. I ought to have said no instead of agreeing to everything.
  28. You ought to give him another chance — people can change.
  29. She ought to be careful about who she trusts with her secrets.
  30. We ought to celebrate this win before moving on to the next challenge.

Common Phrases

  1. ought to
  2. ought not to
  3. ought to have
  4. as one ought
  5. ought to be
  6. ought to know
  7. ought to do
  8. ought to try
  9. ought to consider
  10. ought to be ashamed

Examples by Level

A1
  1. You ought to eat your vegetables.
  2. He ought to go to bed now.
A2
  1. You ought to wear a coat — it's very cold outside.
  2. She ought to study more if she wants to pass the exam.
B1
  1. I know I ought to exercise more, but finding the time is impossible.
  2. They ought to have called ahead before showing up at the house.
B2
  1. You ought to reconsider that job offer — the salary seems too good to be true.
  2. She ought to have known better than to lend him money again.
C1
  1. One ought to question the motives of those who claim to have all the answers.
  2. He ought to have recognized that his ambition was blinding him to the consequences.
C2
  1. There's a peculiar arrogance in believing you ought to know what's best for everyone else.
  2. She understood, perhaps better than most, that one ought to be wary of certainty in uncertain times.

Examples by Scenario

🏠 Everyday Life
  1. You ought to lock the door before you leave — there's been break-ins in the neighborhood.
  2. I ought to have watered the plants yesterday; they're looking pretty sad now.
💼 Workplace
  1. We ought to schedule a meeting to discuss the new project timeline.
  2. You ought to send that email to the client before end of business today.
📊 Business
  1. The company ought to invest in better cybersecurity measures before something goes wrong.
  2. We ought to have negotiated a better contract with that vendor.
🛒 Buying / Shopping
  1. You ought to check the expiration date before you buy that yogurt.
  2. I ought to have compared prices online — I probably paid too much.
✈️ Travel
  1. You ought to book your flight soon if you want a decent price.
  2. We ought to have rented a car instead of relying on public transportation.
📚 Education
  1. Students ought to start studying for finals at least two weeks in advance.
  2. You ought to talk to your teacher if you're struggling with the material.
❤️ Relationships
  1. He ought to know how much his words hurt her, but he doesn't seem to care.
  2. You ought to have been honest with me from the start instead of hiding the truth.
📰 News / Politics
  1. The government ought to address the housing crisis before it gets worse.
  2. Politicians ought to be held accountable for the promises they make during campaigns.
💻 Technology
  1. You ought to update your password regularly to keep your account secure.
  2. Companies ought to be more transparent about how they use our data.
📝 Formal Writing
  1. Organizations ought to implement comprehensive policies to ensure workplace safety and compliance.
  2. Researchers ought to have disclosed their funding sources to avoid conflicts of interest.

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