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I ought to vs I had to

The phrases 'I ought to' and 'I had to' have different meanings and are used in different contexts. 'I ought to' is used to express a suggestion or recommendation, while 'I had to' is used to indicate a necessity or obligation in the past. They are not directly comparable as they serve different purposes.

Last updated: March 17, 2024 • 955 views

I ought to

The phrase 'I ought to' is correct and commonly used in English to express a suggestion or recommendation.

Use 'I ought to' when you want to suggest that something is the right thing to do or when giving advice.

Examples:

I ought to call my parents more often.
You ought to see a doctor if you're feeling unwell.
She ought to study for her exams.
We ought to be more environmentally friendly.
He ought to apologize for his mistake.

Show examples from the web [+]

Definition of ought to modal verb in Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary. Meaning, pronunciation, picture, example sentences, grammar, usage notes, synonyms and more.
I ought to do it → debería hacerlo, debiera hacerlo one ought not to do it → no se debiera hacer. I ought to have done it → debiera haberlo hecho you ought to have ... I thought I ought to tell you → me creí en el deber de decírselo to behave as ...
It is also used in an informal way followed by 'to' but no following infinitive: ♢ I don' t spend as much time with them as I ought to. Ought does not change its form, so the third person singular form does not end in '-s': She ought to try a little harder ...
I ought to have remembered what an hour it was,—more than half-past two. Barrington Charles James Lever. I know that I have spoken of him as I ought not to have spoken. Philothea Lydia Maria Child. "That ought not to make any difference, ...

Alternatives:

I should
I need to
I have to
I must

I had to

The phrase 'I had to' is correct and commonly used in English to indicate a necessity or obligation in the past.

Use 'I had to' to explain that something was required or necessary in the past.

Examples:

I had to finish my homework before going out.
She had to leave early for an appointment.
He had to work overtime to meet the deadline.
We had to cancel the trip due to bad weather.
They had to wait for hours at the airport.

Show examples from the web [+]

There are a few phrases that really push my buttons. When talking to trainers, the one that will always get a reaction from me is this explanation for why the trainer used a specific technique or piece of equipment: "I had to." When pushed to ...
Does she have to get up early? had to in the Simple Past. Pronouns, Affirmative sentences, Negative sentences, Questions. I, he, she, it, we, you, they, I had to get up early. I did not have to get up early. Did I have to get up early? Explanation .
21 hours ago ... Boss - Santi was a gamble I had to take. Arsène Wenger says signing Santi Cazorla was a “gamble” that he had to take. The Spain international has been a huge success since his arrival from Malaga in the summer of 2012.
Jul 4, 2015 ... Today I had to take matters into my own hand. For my city and for my state! I had to do this!! Thank you for the love and support my friends... HAHA Obviously this is a joke!! but it worked! The SUN IS OUT!! haha. We will cya ...

Alternatives:

I was required to
I needed to
I was obligated to
I was compelled to

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