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Essential
ENGLISH
GRAMMAR Modal verbs in English, 2 : obligation |
Modal verbs
of obligation, must, have to, have got to, should and ought to,
are used to imply firm obligation, necessity or recommendation.
Choosing the right modal depends on the type of obligation, the tense
and in some cases the level of language.
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If other tenses are required, the speaker or writer must use forms of the synonymous modal verb "have to" . This modal auxiliary has all normal tenses, including progressive or continuous forms; these are not common, but need to be used in some cases.
In spoken English, and in the present form only, have to is often substantiated by the word got; i.e. an alternative to I have to is I've got to. Must and have to are used to express : a. Firm obligation or necessity b. Certainty or strong probability. c. Must have only : supposition Examples:
Attention
! a1) You must see a doctor at once !
a2) I have to be at school tomorrow at 8 a.m. I've got an exam ! a21) I've got to be at school tomorrow at ..... a3) You mustn't touch that plate, it's too hot. a4) I had to see a doctor, because I felt very sick. a5) I had to break the window ! I lost my key ! a6) The manager isn't here, he's had to go to Paris on urgent business. a7) Tomorrow the President will have to open Parliament. a8) She's having to move because she can't stand the noise. a9) I'm having to take out this detonator very slowly, to avoid an explosion. a10) Oh you're so kind! You didn't have to do it as well as that ! b1) He must be over eighty, he was born in 1930. b2) If my brother's not in London, he has to be in New York. b3) I've got all the right answers, I must be one of the winners ! b4) If I remember correctly, it has to be here. c1) I can't find my laptop, I must have left it in the train. c2) If they're out, they mustn't have heard the news. Take care to distinguish correctly between "had to" and "must have" They had to go to London
= They were obliged to go to London They must have gone to London. = In my opinion, they have certainly gone to London. Recommendation or moral obligation - should and ought toThe verb should only exists in the simple present, and present perfect formsForms of should
The verb ought to only exists in simple present and present perfect forms Forms of ought to
Should and ought to are more or less synonymous Examples:
a1) You should stop smoking !
a2) It's raining hard, the children ought to come indoors. a3) I didn't know you were married ! You ought to have told me ! a4) If you'd wanted to succeed, you should have worked harder at school. a5) This pullover's got holes in it, I should get a new one. a6) This pullover's got holes in it, I ought to get a new one. a7) That's awful ! You really oughtn't to have done that, you know ! Copyright : Website and texts © Linguapress.com 2009-2011 except where otherwise indicated |
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