ought to amend

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "ought to amend" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used when suggesting that something should be changed or improved. Example: "The committee believes that we ought to amend the current policy to better serve our community."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Wiki

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

1 human-written examples

If the Supreme Court shields the makers of generic drugs from consumer suits, Congress ought to amend the laws.

The New York Times

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

59 human-written examples

Patients should be screened before undergoing cosmetic surgery and a review should be carried out into whether the Equality Act ought to be amended to include appearance-related discrimination, the recommendations said.

Independent

He went on to list several typical steps once a bug is found, including examining the entire source tree for the same and similar issues, "try[ing] to find out whether the documentation ought to be amended", and investigating whether "it's possible to augment the compiler to warn against this specific problem".

Wikipedia

"I think I ought to be allowed my chance to amend and debate".

The New York Times

Now, if the declarations of Je Suis Charlie were to mean anything, papers like the Guardian ought to make amends and either republish the magazine's offending cartoons or do its own depictions of the prophet – just to prove that it could.

The Guardian - Opinion

To amend Justice Breyer's language, what is sauce for the goose in our constitutional jurisprudence ought to be sauce for the gander.

Huffington Post

Her party wants to amend the Constitution.

The New York Times

Feel free to amend as necessary.

The New York Times

Agreeing to amend it is quite another.

The Economist

Forbes: May have to amend the constitution.

Forbes

It ought to!

TechCrunch

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "ought to amend" in formal writing when suggesting a change that is morally or ethically advisable. For example, "Given the new evidence, we "ought to amend" the policy."

Common error

Avoid using "ought to amend" interchangeably with "should revise" in all contexts. "Ought to" carries a stronger sense of moral obligation or advisability, whereas "should" is a more general recommendation.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "ought to amend" functions as a modal verb phrase expressing a strong recommendation or moral obligation to make a change. Ludwig AI confirms its correct usage in suggesting necessary improvements or revisions.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

33%

Wiki

33%

Science

33%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "ought to amend" is a modal verb phrase that expresses a strong recommendation or moral obligation to make a change. Although it is grammatically correct, as verified by Ludwig AI, its usage is relatively rare compared to alternatives like "should revise". It is most suitable for formal contexts where a sense of duty or ethical consideration is important. Remember to use it when suggesting a change is not just preferable but necessary for upholding certain standards or principles.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

Should revise

Replaces "ought to" with the more common "should", indicating a recommendation.

Should modify

Substitutes "amend" with "modify", suggesting a change, but not necessarily a formal one.

Need to change

Uses a more direct and less formal tone than "ought to amend".

Need to revise

Combines the directness of "need to" with the suggestion of improvement in "revise".

It is advisable to amend

Formalizes the suggestion, making it a recommendation from a position of authority.

It is recommended to amend

Similar to "advisable", but focuses on the recommendation aspect.

It would be wise to amend

Suggests prudence in making the change.

Consider revising

Presents the change as something to think about, less forceful.

May need to adjust

Indicates a possible, rather than definite, need for change.

Might have to alter

Suggests a potential future need to make alterations.

FAQs

How can I use "ought to amend" in a sentence?

Use "ought to amend" to express a duty or strong recommendation to change something, such as "The committee believes that we "ought to amend" the current policy to better serve our community."

What are some alternatives to "ought to amend"?

Alternatives include "should revise", "need to change", or "it is advisable to amend" depending on the context and desired level of formality.

Is it more appropriate to use "ought to amend" or "should amend"?

"Ought to amend" carries a stronger sense of moral obligation or advisability than "should amend". Choose the phrase that best reflects the strength of the recommendation you want to convey.

When is it suitable to use "ought to amend" in formal writing?

It is suitable to use "ought to amend" in formal writing when suggesting a change that is ethically or morally advisable or when conveying a strong recommendation based on principles or duties.