ought to need you

[ostap77]

"I ought to need you to sew a hole in my pants."

When would people say "ought to need"? Is it used as an intensifier?

[TheParser]

"I ought to need you to saw a whole in my pants."

When would people say "ought to need"? Is it used as an intensifier?

***** NOT A TEACHER *****


(1) I only wanted to make two points:

(a) The word you want is hole.

(b) "Pants" is, indeed, the correct word in the United States.

You probably know that "pants" in the United Kingdom (I hear)

= underwear!!! I once read that an innocent American visited

England one day and told someone: I like your pants. The British

person was shocked. I think the British people prefer "trousers."

[ostap77]

***** NOT A TEACHER *****


(1) I only wanted to make two points:

(a) The word you want is hole.

(b) "Pants" is, indeed, the correct word in the United States.

You probably know that "pants" in the United Kingdom (I hear)

= underwear!!! I once read that an innocent American visited

England one day and told someone: I like your pants. The British

person was shocked. I think the British people prefer "trousers."

What about my question regarding "ought to need"?

[TheParser]

What about my question regarding "ought to need"?

I only wanted to make those two points. I am not intelligent

enough to answer your question. You and I will have to wait for a

teacher or knowledgeable non-teacher.

[5jj]

"I ought to need you to saew a hole in my pants."

When would people say "ought to need"? Is it used as an intensifier?

It is not an intensifier.

If I thought long enough, I could probably come up with an utterance in which 'ought to need' is natural, but I don't think it's worth it. One either needs something or one doesn't. A situation in which there is some sort of obligation to need something is unlikely.

[ostap77]

It is not an intensifier.

If I thought long enough, I could probably come up with an utterance in which 'ought to need' is natural, but I don't think it's worth it. One either needs something or one doesn't. A situation in which there is some sort of obligation to need something is unlikely.

What if someone spilled beer over my T-shirt, could I say "I ought to need you to bring me a napkin."?

[SoothingDave]

What if someone spilled beer over my T-shirt, could I say "I ought to need you to bring me a napkin."?

You might say "I ought to give you a knuckle sandwich!"

But "ought to need" is not a phrase I have ever heard.

[ostap77]

You might say "I ought to give you a knuckle sandwich!"

But "ought to need" is not a phrase I have ever heard.

I heard it in a situation when a realy pretty waitress comes up to two guys seating at the table and asks them if they want a drink. One of the two guys, trying to get at her being "smoking hot", replies "I ought to need you to sew a hole in my pants right in front of ......."

[5jj]

I heard it in a situation when a realy pretty waitress comes up to two guys seating at the table and asks them if they want a drink. One of the two guys, trying to get at her being "smoking hot", replies "I ought to need you to sew a hole in my pants right in front of ......."

Search hard enough, and you'll find even more examples of this, but that does not make it normal English.

By the way, ostap, you ought to know by now - if you have context, please give it in your first post.