Possibility

e.g. Her father was often to be seen in the bar of the Hotel Metro

pole.

In this meaning to be to is equivalent to can or may. It is used in all kinds of sentences in the present and past tenses and is fol' lowed by the passive infinitive.

§ 98. Note the following set phrases with the modal verb to be to: What am I to do? (Что мне делать?Как мне быть?) What is to become of me? (Что со мной станется? Что со мной будет?)

Where am I to go? (Куда же мне идти? Куда же мне деваться?)

§ 99. То be to in the form of were to + infinitive for all per- sons is found in conditional clauses where it is structurally depen- dent (for a detailed treatment of this use of the verb to be to see "Verbs", § 149).

e.g. If he were to come again I should not receive him.

ought to

Ought to has the following meanings: 1) obligation, which in different contexts may acquire addi- tinal shades of meaning, such as advisability and desirability,

;. You ought to say a word or two about yourself. Ought she to warn him? He oughtn't to mention it to anybody.

In this meaning ought to is possible in all kinds of sentences, though it is felt to be awkward in questions where should is pre- ferred.

Generally ought to refers an action to the future and is fol- lowed by the simple infinitive. With reference to the present ought to is used with the continuous infinitive or with the simple infini- tive if the verb is stative.

e.g. At your age you ought to be earning your living. You ought to feel some respect for your elders.

In combination with the perfect infinitive ought to in the affir- mative form shows that a desirable action was not fulfilled.

e-g. You ought to have chosen a more suitable time to tell me this news.

He ought to have put everything off.

In the negative form ought to +Perfect infinitive = undesirable action was fulfilled.

e.g. I'm sorry. I oughtn't to have said it.

You oughtn't to have married her, David. It was a great mis- take.

Supposition implying strong probability,

e.g. The new sanatorium ought to be very comfortable.

The use of ought to in this case is not very common as this meaning is normally rendered by must.

Note the set phrases He/you ought to know it (=he is/you are supposed to know it). You ought to be ashamed of yourself.

shall and should

Shall

Shall is still used to express obligation with the second and third persons. Its use, as a rule, is restricted to formal or even archaic style and is mainly found in subordinate clauses, i.e. it is structurally dependent, e.g. It has been decided that the proposal shall not be opposed.

At present, however, this meaning of obligation, somewhat modified, is found with the second and third persons in sentences expressing promise, threat or warning. It is used in affirmative and negative sentences and combined with the simple infinitive.

e.g. You shall have my answer tomorrow.

The meaning of obligation may also be traced in interrogative sentences where shall is used with the first and third persons to ask after the will of the person addressed. In this case it is also followed by the simple infinitive.