Necessity: must and have to

Both must and have to express necessity, but we use them differently

MUST HAVE TO
We use must when the speaker feels that We use have to when the situation makes
something is necessary something necessary
a) You must exercise. (I’m telling you) a) I have to exercise (The doctor told me)
b) We must be quiet. (I’m telling you) b) We have to be quiet. (That’s the rule)
In general, it is safer to us have to than to use must. Have to is much more common in speech.
Sometimes must can sound strange if you use it in the wrong way.

EXERCISE

Put in must or have to/ has to.

1. I ……………………………………………… go to the airport. I’m meeting someone.

2. You ………………………………………………lock the door when you got out. There’ve been a lot of break-
ins recently.
3. Daniel ………………………………………………go to the bank. He doesn’t have any money.
4. I ………………………………………………work late tomorrow. We’re very busy at the office.
5. You really ………………………………………………make less noise. I’m trying to concentrate.
6. I think you ………………………………………………pay to park here. I’ll just go and read that notice.
7. You ………………………………………………hurry up, Vicky. We don’t want to be late.
8. I ………………………………………………put the heating on. I feel really cold.
9. A : I ………………………………………………go on a diet. I want to lose weight. What about you?
B : I ………………………………………………go on a diet. Doctor’s orders.
10. In my opinion, for this occasion we ………………………………………………wear formal clothes, but the
instruction here said differently, i.e. we ………………………………………………wear formal clothes. I’m totally
confused now.