ADVANCED 10

EXPRESSING OBLIGATION
◦ We can often use MUST and HAVE TO without any difference in
meaning.

◦ HOWEVER, we use:
 MUST + INFINITVE without TO in the present tense. For other tenses,
we use HAVE TO + INFINITVE
 HAVE TO, more often in QUESTIONS.
 MUST for a GOAL that we give ourselves.
 HAVE TO when the obligation comes from someone else.
 MUST for a strong advice
◦ Other ways to express obligation:
◦ We use BE SUPPOSED TO + INFINITVE, to talk about
an obligation which is different from what really
happens.
◦ We’re supposed to eat five meals a day. (But most
people only eat three or four)
◦ We use SHOULD + INFINITIVE without TO to talk
about the right thing to do.
◦ The past of SHOULD is SHOULD HAVE + PAST
PARTICIPLE.
◦ We can use OUGHT TO to meand SHOULD
 EXPRESSING PROHIBITION
◦ We use these modals to express prohibition:
◦ Can’t, mustn’t, not let, (be) not allowed to, don’t allow (somebody) to.

◦ We do not use DON’T HAVE TO to express prohibition

◦ You mustn’t talk when the teacher is explaining the class (It’s not
allowed)
◦ You don’t have to talk when the music is playing. I can’t hear a
thing. (It’s not neccesary)
◦ In the past, we use:
◦ Couldn’t, didn’t let, wasn’t allowed to, didn’t allow (somebody) to.

◦ WE DON’T USE MUSTN’T TO TALK ABOUT THE PAST.

EXPRESSING PERMISSION
◦To express permission, we use:
◦ Can (past: COULD), let, am allowed to and may (past:
was/were allowed to)
◦We only use MAY in formal situations.
◦To say that there is no obligation, or not
necessary, we use:
◦ Don’t have to, don’t need to and needn’t