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Uses of the verb Must

1. To express urgent advice or command, both to oneself and to others.
2. To express the suggestion that something may be plausible or probable.

Features of the use of the verb Must

1. The construction must have + past participle is used to express an assumption that relates to the past.
2. Must is not used to express ought in the past tense. The verb used for this is had to.
3. Must be used in indirect speech to express a past action.

Examples

1. Must I finish this exercise now? – Should I finish this exercise now? (the need to perform an action)
2. It is almost 8 o"clock. You must hurry up - It’s almost 8 o’clock. You need to hurry up. (urgent advice or order)
3. This must be the right answer - This must be the correct answer. (expression of assumption)
4. I can't find my wallet. I must have left it at home - I can't find my wallet. I must have left his home. (an expression of an assumption that refers to the past)
5. I knew there must be some solution – I knew that it should have been some kind of solution. (used in indirect speech to express a past action)
6. You must not touch bare wires - You must not touch bare wires. (order)

#2 Modal verb Have to

Uses of the verb Have to

1. To express the need to perform an action.
2. To express the likelihood of something (more often used in American English).

Features of the use of the verb Have to

1. In interrogative and negative sentences it is used with the auxiliary verb do/does/did/will, etc.
2. Verb form changes depending on time.

Examples

1. You don"t have to make a decision right now - You don’t have to make a decision right now. (no need to take an action)
2. My sister is short-sighted. She has to wear glasses – My sister is nearsighted. She has to wear glasses. (necessity)
3. Do you have to go shopping today? We can do it tomorrow together – Do you need to go shopping today? We can do this tomorrow together. (necessity)
4. We are still on the way. It has to be further than we thought – We are still on the way. It must be further than we thought. (expression of assumption)
5. You had to turn left at the crossroads - You had to turn left at the crossroads. (not the speaker’s personal opinion, but a necessity due to certain circumstances)
6. You will have to send her an e-mail - You will have to send her an e-mail. (necessity)

#3 Modal verb Should

Uses of the verb Should

1. To express a need, advice, recommendation.

Features of the use of the verb Should

1. The construction should have + past participle is used when we're talking about about events in the past that did not happen or could/could not happen.
2. Used in indirect speech in relation to the past tense, if the verb should was used in direct speech in the sentence. In other cases, the verb should not used in the past tense. Instead, was/were supposed to is usually used.

Note

The constructions should have + past participle and to be supposed to are close in meaning and can often be interchanged. However, the design should have + past participle carries a greater connotation of criticism and regret, while the construction to be supposed to is less categorical and more often found in colloquial speech.

Examples

1. It is cold outside. You should put on a jacket – It’s cold outside. You should wear a jacket. (advice)
2. He should have learned this lesson by now - He should have already learned this lesson. (we are talking about an event in the past that could have already happened)
3. They said we should not wait for them - They said that we should not wait for them. ( indirect speech, provided that the verb should was used in direct speech)
4. Why don"t you call them? The car should be fixed by now - Why don’t you call them? The car should already be repaired. (probability)
5. Should I follow the instructions? – Should I follow the instructions? (please give advice or recommendation)
6. She was supposed to introduce me to him (NOT She should introduce me to him) – She had to introduce me to him. (we are talking about the past tense, in which case the expression was supposed to is used instead of the verb should)

#4 Modal verb Ought to

Uses of the verb Ought to

1. To express obligation, advice, recommendation.
2. To express the probability of something.

Features of the use of the verb Ought to

1. The construction is used in relation to the past time when the event did not occur.

Examples

1. You ought to listen to your parents - You must listen to your parents. (expression of obligation)
2. Hurry up! You ought not to miss your train – Hurry up! You mustn't miss your train. (advice, recommendation)
3. Ought we to start the speech now? – Should we start speaking now? (the speaker asks for advice)
4. His behavior ought to improve after this talk - His behavior should improve after this conversation. (probability expression)
5. The plane landed an hour ago. They ought to have gone through the customs by now – The plane landed an hour ago. They are already should have passed through customs. (design ought to have + past participle; The example shows that the action did not occur)

#5 Difference between Must and Have to

1. The verb Must is used to express personal feelings speaker. The verb Have to is used when speaking about facts and about necessity due to certain circumstances.
2. The verb Must is used when talking about the present or future, but not the past. The verb Have to is used in all tenses.
3. When forming negative and interrogative sentences, the verb Have to requires the use of auxiliary verbs do/does/did/will, etc.
4. Must not is used when it is important not to do what is being discussed in the sentence. Do not have to is used when something is not needed, but it can be done (depending on the desire of the speaker).

Examples

1. You must change your diet to lose some weight - You must change your diet to lose weight. (personal opinion of the speaker)
2. You do not have to drink so much water - You may not drink so much water. (no need for this)
3. You must not drink so much water - You must not drink so much water. (this is a ban)
4. You have to turn left at the crossroads - You must turn left at the intersection. (not the speaker’s personal opinion, but a fact)

#6 Difference between Must and Should/Ought to

1. The verb Must expresses a higher degree of obligation. The verb Must is more often used in orders, regulations, etc. The verbs Should and Ought to are more often used in advice and recommendations.
2. In assumptions, the verbs Should and Ought to indicate a lower degree of confidence of the speaker than the verb Must.
3. In logical inferences and conclusions, the verb Must is used.

Examples

1. It is cold outside. You must wear a coat – It’s cold outside. You must put on your coat. (higher degree of obligation, order)
2. In weather like this you should wear a coat - In this weather you should wear a coat. (advice, recommendation)
3. The dinner must be ready now - Dinner must be ready. (high degree of confidence of the speaker)
4. The dinner should be ready now - Dinner should be ready. (lower degree of speaker's confidence, assumption)
5. Are they on holiday? They must be having a great time! -Are they on vacation? They must be having a great time! (logical conclusion, conclusion)

In English, must and have to both perform one function: they show the obligatory nature of a certain action. But despite their similarity, these verbs are used in different speech situations, require different auxiliary verbs and interact with tenses differently. Let's figure out the difference between must and have to.

Difference between must and have to

The modal verb must is much more personal than have to; it is used to express personal feelings and feelings. While have to is impersonal, as a rule, it is used when talking about events and facts.

I must go to work- I have to go to work.
We have to visit our aunt— We need to visit our aunt.

There is also a difference in the negative forms of verbs: mustn’t and don’t have to. If the negation “don’t have to” means that something simply does not need to be done (although it is possible), then the use of the negation “mustn’t” is practically an order “not to do!”

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You don’t have to be there today! All would be done without you-You don't have to be there today. Everything will be done without you.
You mustn't be late- You can't be late.

When to use must

The first thing to remember about the modal verb must is that it does not have a past tense form; English grammar assumes that must is used only in the present and future and does not change its form. For the past tense we use had to (the past tense form of the modal verb have to).

You must visit a psychologist now- You should see a psychologist now.
She must visit a psychologist next Sunday - She must visit a psychologist next Sunday.

The verb must reflects an internal obligation, the need to do something. This verb can be used in written instructions, strong recommendations. This is best translated into Russian by the words “must” and “obliged”.

You must brush your teeth— You must brush your teeth.
You must sign these papers— You must sign these documents.

In addition, using the verb must you can convey an assumption/conclusion.

You must be bored- You're probably bored.
Kate must have known her- Kate must have known her.

When to use have to

The verb have to is used much more often in colloquial speech than must. It denotes a need to do something, which is determined not by internal necessity, but by external circumstances. Unlike must, modal verb have to needs auxiliary verbs, can change tenses and change its form.

I have to go- I have to go.
I had to go- I had to go.
I will have to go- I'll have to go.

Examples with translation:

You must ask her about this situation“You should ask her about this situation.”
We must end it right now“We have to finish this now.”
You must build a boat to escape the island“You must build a boat to escape from this island.”
She must do her homework— She must do her homework.
We have to buy food and coffee— We need to buy food and coffee.
We had to use it right“We had to use it correctly.”
I will have to teach you how to be villains“I will have to teach you how to be a villain.”

Video about the difference between have to and must:

There is a whole category of words in English that can safely be called special, different from other groups of vocabulary. These words are modal verbs: Can, Could, Must, May, Might, Should, Need, Have to. Although they are not used as independent lexical units, since they express only the necessity, ability or possibility of performing an action, their role in the language is incredibly large. What are these words and when are they used?

Can

Can is rightfully considered the most common word in the modal group. Thanks to him, we can report that we know/can do something or are capable of something.

Can is used to indicate:

• intellectual or physical real ability to accomplish something;
• requests, permission, prohibition;
• doubts, mistrust, surprise.

But it is necessary to remember that the modal verb can itself does not denote an action, therefore it must be followed by another verb that directly indicates the execution of the process. This rule applies to all other words discussed below.

Could

Must

The modal verb must denotes obligation, namely:

• an obligation or a certain duty due to personal beliefs, principles, traditions;
• advice, recommendation or order;
• probability/supposition of the action taking place.

Must is used not only in the present tense, but also in the future. It is important to remember that in all cases its shape does not change.

May

The modal verb may indicates the possibility of performing an action or the assumption of such a possibility. IN general meaning it can be translated as you can/can/can, etc. May is used when it is necessary to express:

• the objective possibility of performing an action that is not prevented by anything or anyone;
• formal request or permission;
• an assumption caused by doubt.

Might

Might is the past tense form of May. Also used to indicate the possibility/request/suggestion of performing an action. One of the special meanings of the word Might is an expression of slight condemnation or disapproval. It is interesting that although the modal verb might is considered a past tense form, it is used to denote the execution of a process both in the present and in the future.

The modal verb should is similar in meaning to Must, but is not as strict. Thus, Should is used when the task is to express an obligation or duty, stylistically weakened to a recommendation or advice. Should is also used to denote reproach or regret due to the fact that the desired action was not previously performed or can no longer be performed.

Need

The modal verb need should be used to express a need or urgent need to carry out an action. Accordingly, if Need is present in negative construction, it denotes the lack of need/permission to do something. Need is also found in interrogative constructions - here it indicates doubts about the advisability of performing the process in question.

home distinctive feature Have to in that it denotes the obligation to perform actions due to specific circumstances. Based on this, the modal verb have to is recommended to be used only when it is necessary to indicate the compulsion of actions due to the current situation, and not personal desires. Have to can be used in all tenses, but each has its own form: present - Have to or Has to, past - Had to, future - Will have to.

Without a doubt, without modal verbs it is impossible to construct competent and stylistically neat speech. Therefore, when choosing methods of learning English that you can familiarize yourself with, be sure to include the study of this category of vocabulary in the chosen method. Moreover, now you have a useful theoretical basis that will help you successfully cope with the task.

Must is a very “hard” verb that expresses the obligation or need to do something. Must stronger than should. If in case should there is still some choice (to do or not to do), then in the case must no choice! That's an order.

Have to has the same meaning as must.

1. Must and have to are used to express the need to do something.

Example

I must leave. - I must go.
I have to leave. - I must go.
In this situation must And have to are used interchangeably.

2. Difference in the use of must and have to

Must is more personal in nature. Must used to express personal feelings and sensations.

Example

I must do my best. - I have to do my best.
IN in this case the speaker expresses his feelings about this.

Have to is impersonal in nature. Have to used when talking about facts rather than personal feelings.

Example

I have to visit my doctor. - I have to visit my doctor.
Apparently, not everything is in order with your health, and this is a fact that you cannot argue with, and not some kind of personal feeling.

Note

Sometimes the difference is in use must And have to so subtle that it is difficult to determine which verb to use. In such situations it is better to use have to.

3. Must - there is no past!

Remember, verb must has no past tense form!
Therefore, it can be used for the present and future tenses, but not for the past.

Example

We must visit a doctor now. - We must visit the doctor now.
We must visit a doctor tomorrow. - We have to visit the doctor tomorrow.

4. Have to - for all forms

Unlike must, have to can be used for all forms, including the past tense.

Example

I had to visit my doctor. - I had to visit my doctor.

We can't say here must, because time is past! Therefore, we calmly use the equivalent must - have to!

5. Logical inference

Must used when the speaker draws a conclusion based on available facts. And although he has complete confidence that his conclusion is the absolute truth, this is not far from happening. The Russian analogue is the “should be” construction. And where it should be, there it is must!

Example

The ground is wet. It must be raining. - The ground is wet. It must be raining.

The ground is wet - so we concluded that it is raining! And since our logic is ironclad, we use must! After all, it's raining must go, he just can’t help but go!

6 Mustn’t and don’t have to are two big differences

Mustn't= don't do this! That's an order! (don't do it)
Don't have to= there is no need to do this or it is not necessary (but in principle it is possible)

Examples

You mustn't be late. - You shouldn't be late.
(Don't be late! You can't be late!)

You don't have to be on time. - You don't have to be on time.
Those. you may be late. But in principle you can arrive on time.

We have examined 3 basic modal verbs. Let's repeat these points again, and then look at the remaining modal verbs:

1. Modal verbs do not change tenses and do not take any endings;
2. Modal verbs are also auxiliary verbs;
3. After modal verbs the infinitive comes without to .

There is one very good modal verb that satisfies all these conditions without any exceptions. This verb is must . It is most often translated into Russian as “must, obliged.” As a rule, we use it when we want to express unquestioning obedience to something.

• You must obey the federal law. - You must follow federal law.
• All employees must sign this document. - All employees must sign this document.
• People mustn't be indifferent. - People shouldn't be indifferent.

As you can see, we use must when talking about sustainable traditions and laws, be they moral or legal.

• The negative form mustn"t can be used to express a prohibition:
• You mustn't leave the house after 10! - You are not allowed to leave the house after 10!

From must different verb - have to . It is not modal appearance, but is such in meaning. He also conveys an obligation, but of a different kind. Let's look at the difference in meaning between must And have to .

As stated earlier, must - this is an expression of subordination to GENERAL laws; that is, you realize that you must do something because it is socially accepted.

Have to - this is an expression of subordination due to PRIVATE circumstances. A more suitable translation for it is “to be forced, to have to.” That is, you must do something because something forces you to do it.

• My car has broken down. I will have to take a taxi. - My car broke down. I'll have to take a taxi (= I'm forced to take a taxi).
• Compare: I must go by car because it’s the fastest way to get to the airport. - I should go by car because it’s the fastest way to get to the airport (i.e. it’s a generally accepted truth - by car it’s fastest, that’s why you choose this mode of transport).

But despite the difference, must And have to interchangeable. Unlike must , have to changes over time and takes on different endings. Therefore, if you really need to show this time and at the same time maintain modality, then instead must use have to .

• Next week I have to go on a business trip. - Next week I will have to go on business.
• We were supposed to finish the project last month. - Last month we had to finish the project.
• She should apologize. - She has to apologize.

Naturally, have to - this is an ordinary verb, so we deal with it according to tradition: we add, if necessary, endings, auxiliary verbs, etc. Auxiliary in this case - do .

• They have to leave. - They must leave.
• They don't have to leave. - They don’t have to leave. - They shouldn't leave.
• Do they have to leave? - Yes, they do./ No, they don’t. - Should they leave?