UE 103

Modal verbs
Grammar class two

Must
I said in grammar class one that the
reason for modals it to introduce a
personal attitude or point of view into
the sentence, often the point of view of
the speaker.
Today were going to look at why this is
important in the use of MUST

Obligations
MUST is used to talk about obligations
You must stop that noise
immediately.
Candidates must have completed
three years of university study before
applying for this course.
Keyboards must be cleaned regularly.
Must we hand in our work on Friday?

MUST and HAVE TO are

different
It is also possible to use HAVE TO to
talk about obligation
He said we have to stop the noise.
You have to have done three years study
before you apply.
You have to clean your keyboard if you dont
want it to clog up with dust.
Do we have to hand in our work on Friday?

MUST and HAVE TO are

different
If you use MUST the obligation comes
from one particular person in
authority, usually the speaker.
If you use HAVE TO the obligation is
presented as coming from noone in
particular, coming from the general
situation.

Dont use must if youre not the

boss!
To say You must pay two hundred
pounds is not Vous tes oblig de
payer; it is almost Je vous oblige
de payer
To say Must we leave now? is not
Sommes-nous obligs de partir
maintenant; it is almost Nous
obligez-vous partir maintenant?

So
This is why in general You must .
is said by a person in authority a
doctor, a teacher, a policeman, a
Human Resources Director. You have
to can be said by anybody.

The same applies in the first person I

must go now is I oblige myselfto
go. I have to go is that the
general situation obliges me.

Some short exercises

http://
www.englishgrammarsecrets.com/musth
aveto/exercise1.html
http://
www.englishgrammarsecrets.com/musth
aveto/exercise2.html
http://
www.englishgrammarsecrets.com/musth
aveto/exercise3.html
http://www.englishgrammarsecrets.co