"Ought" in interrogative sentences.

Our_Tort_System · January 6, 2011, 7:52pm

Hello,

Take this sentence: “this is what you ought to know”.
Can I turn it into a question like this:
What do you ought to know?

Or is there a better way from a native speaker’s standpoint?
Also, do native speakers use “ought” often in interrogative sentences, or do they make do with “should”?

Thanks!

Beeesneees · January 6, 2011, 8:41pm

What ought you to know?
This is what you ought to know.

What should you know? <-- far more commonplace than the above question, as you seem to realise.
This is what you should know.

Our_Tort_System · January 6, 2011, 9:16pm

Thank you, Bev.
Now it’s clear to me.

Beeesneees · January 6, 2011, 9:50pm

Is it? Corrrrr! Can you explain it to me then, please? ;D

(Seriously… glad to help.)

Our_Tort_System · January 6, 2011, 10:01pm

Explain? Explain? Explain??? Now you got me (I’m so up the creek without a paddle)!
=)))

E2e4 · January 6, 2011, 10:10pm

Are there any of these questions below that do not carry any sense?

What should you know?
What ought you to know?
What will you know?
What shall you know?
What would you to know?
What must you know?
What can you know?
What could you know?
What may you know?
What might you know?

Thanks

Beeesneees · January 6, 2011, 10:23pm

What should you know?
What ought you to know?
What will you know?
What shall you know?
What would you to know? ← What would you know?
What must you know?
What can you know?
What could you know?
What may you know?
What might you know?

E2e4 · January 6, 2011, 10:39pm

What would you to know?
What would you like to know?

Is the only the second one correct?

Thanks

Our_Tort_System · January 6, 2011, 11:17pm

The first one is wrong because “would” is used with bare infinitives only.

What would you know?
You would know that.
You wouldn’t know that.

The second one is correct.