ought to be determined

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "ought to be determined" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used when discussing something that should be established or decided upon, often in a formal or academic context. Example: "The criteria for evaluation ought to be determined before the project begins to ensure clarity and fairness."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

8 human-written examples

The borders between the two ought to be determined by whether humanity places more value on our lungs or our bellies.

The Guardian

The criterion of collapse of the system ought to be determined for such analysis.

Procedia Engineering

In order to build a realistic model, the values of parameters ought to be determined accurately.

Journal of Modern Transportation

In the aforementioned applications of linear stochastic systems, a symmetric solution X, called a stabilizing solution, to SARE (1a - 1b) ought to be determined for the design of optimal controllers.

Journal of Inequalities and Applications

Coke challenged this, saying "the King in his own person cannot adjudge any case, either criminal – as treason, felony etc, or betwixt party and party; but this ought to be determined and adjudged in some court of justice, according to the Law and Custom of England".

Wikipedia

However, the topology of empirical networks is the very characteristic that ought to be determined through analysis.

Plosone

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

52 human-written examples

"And surely government ought to be determining what ought to be preserved, not a real estate developer".

The New York Times

I believe that justice and opportunity ought not to be determined by geography -- or by country of origin or by your parents' income".

The New York Times

How she votes on the court ought properly to be determined not by her personal beliefs, but by her understanding of the law.

The Economist

Furthermore, if beneficial mutations are rare, i.e. for short evolutionary times or for low mutation rates, the rate of adaptation ought to be mainly determined by the time required to find beneficial mutations [ 30], but this contradicts our observation that robust genotypes were less evolvable in the short-term, or at low mutation rates.

BMC Evolutionary Biology

The exact value of the maximum speed in this speed range ought to be further determined based on the integrated performances of the train's passenger capacity, engines, streamline body design, etc.

Energy

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "ought to be determined" in formal writing or when suggesting a necessary course of action or investigation. For example, "The root cause of the error ought to be determined before implementing a fix."

Common error

Avoid using "ought to be determined" in casual conversations or informal writing. Opt for simpler alternatives like "should be figured out" to maintain a natural tone.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "ought to be determined" functions as a modal verb phrase indicating necessity or advisability that something needs to be definitively established or decided. Ludwig AI shows examples where this phrase is used in various contexts to express the need for resolution or clarification.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

Science

33%

News & Media

33%

Wiki

11%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "ought to be determined" is a grammatically sound modal verb phrase that suggests a necessary action to establish or decide something definitively. Ludwig AI confirms it's suitable for formal contexts across science, news, and general discourse. While grammatically correct, it's less common in informal settings where alternatives like "should be figured out" are preferable. The phrase functions to recommend or require a decision, and its usage implies the importance of clarity and accuracy, as suggested by the analyzed examples.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

should be ascertained

Replaces "ought to" with "should" and "determined" with "ascertained", altering the formality slightly.

needs to be established

Substitutes "ought to" with "needs to" and "determined" with "established", indicating necessity rather than obligation.

must be decided

Uses "must" instead of "ought to", conveying a stronger sense of imperative, and "decided" in place of "determined."

has to be resolved

Replaces "ought to" with "has to", signaling a requirement, and "determined" with "resolved", focusing on finding a solution.

should be figured out

Uses "should be" and "figured out" for a less formal tone, suitable for simpler contexts.

needs to be found out

Substitutes "ought to be determined" with "needs to be found out", which is less formal and more direct.

should be investigated

Changes "determined" to "investigated", shifting the focus to the process of inquiry rather than the outcome.

requires definition

Replaces the modal verb construction with a simpler noun phrase, "requires definition", which is more concise.

demands clarification

Similar to "requires definition", this phrase emphasizes the need for making something clear.

warrants identification

Replaces "determined" with "identification", focusing on the act of recognizing or establishing something.

FAQs

How can I use "ought to be determined" in a sentence?

Use "ought to be determined" when indicating that something needs to be definitively established or decided. For instance, "The success criteria for this project "ought to be determined" before kickoff".

What are some alternatives to "ought to be determined"?

You can use alternatives like "should be ascertained", "needs to be established", or "must be decided" depending on the specific context and level of formality you want to convey.

Is "ought to be determined" formal or informal?

"Ought to be determined" is generally considered a formal phrase. In less formal contexts, consider using alternatives like "should be figured out" or "needs to be found out".

How does "ought to be determined" differ from "should be determined"?

While both phrases express a necessity, "ought to be determined" carries a slightly stronger sense of obligation or moral correctness compared to "should be determined". The choice depends on the nuance you wish to convey.