Should and ought – 3 – expectations

By David Wood | October 10, 2012

Should and ought to are used when you’re expecting something now or in the future

  • There should be no problem driving into town at this time.
  • They ought to be here some time soon.
  • She should be setting off for London about now.

In the past should have and ought to have + past participle
are used to say something expected did not happen, or that something should have happened differently.

  • I should have warned you in advance not to mention anything about tax evasion.
  • The library should have opened all day Wednesday, but it didn’t.
  • They ought to have found out who actually wrote that newspaper article.

And in the negative to say that something not expected to happen, or wrong, did happen

  • A new car shouldn’t have broken down six weeks after you bought it.
  • You oughtn’t to have paid that amount of money for a dental appointment.
  • They ought not to have arrested the whole family just because of a parking ticket.

The examples below use should and ought to in contexts of advice and expectation.Can you choose the correct verb and the correct part of that verb?

 

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1. [Multiple choice]

You shouldn’t have ……… to work feeling as ill as you were.

Answers for Quiz [1].

  • 1. leave
  • 2. left
  • 3. travel
  • 4. go
  • 5. gone (correct)

2. [Multiple choice]

I suggested they should …….. a boat trip to the Farne Islands to see the birds and seals.

Answers for Quiz [2].

  • 1. go
  • 2. gone
  • 3. booked
  • 4. take (correct)
  • 5. taken

3. [Multiple choice]

You oughtn’t to have ………. a second pudding – no wonder you’re feeling a bit unwell.

Answers for Quiz [3].

  • 1. told
  • 2. eaten (correct)
  • 3. been
  • 4. invited
  • 5. booked

4. [Multiple choice]

You should have ………. her you loved her.

Answers for Quiz [4].

  • 1. whisper
  • 2. say
  • 3. tell
  • 4. told (correct)
  • 5. write

5. [Multiple choice]

You ought to ………… your cousins to your wedding. They’ll be upset if you don’t.

Answers for Quiz [5].

  • 1. invite (correct)
  • 2. invited
  • 3. write
  • 4. written
  • 5. asked

6. [Multiple choice]

Why throw your fridge out? You should ……… it for a few more years.

Answers for Quiz [6].

  • 1. kept
  • 2. buy
  • 3. keep (correct)
  • 4. left
  • 5. bought

7. [Multiple choice]

We oughtn’t to have ……. all that money on the table. We were inviting trouble.

Answers for Quiz [7].

  • 1. leave
  • 2. left (correct)
  • 3. keep
  • 4. find
  • 5. win

8. [Multiple choice]

It’s strange they’re still not here. They should ….. here by now.

Answers for Quiz [8].

  • 1. come
  • 2. came
  • 3. leave
  • 4. be (correct)
  • 5. been

9. [Multiple choice]

You shouldn’t have …………. out so late. We were worried.

Answers for Quiz [9].

  • 1. stop
  • 2. go
  • 3. stayed (correct)
  • 4. stay
  • 5. leave

10. [Multiple choice]

It’s funny you should ……….. that. We were just saying the same thing ourselves.

Answers for Quiz [10].

  • 1. tell
  • 2. asked
  • 3. mention (correct)
  • 4. told
  • 5. said
  • 6.
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