LoginMust and Have to
This article dives into "must" and "have to" for expressing necessity and obligation. Detailed explanations and a quiz to test your knowledge.
Must and Have to
'Must' is a modal verb in English that shows obligation or necessity. 'Have to' is not grammatically modal, but expresses the same modal meaning as 'must'. 'Must' can imply that the obligation comes from internal motivations, while 'have to' is often used to express external requirements or obligations, such as rules and laws.
Must
Unlike 'will' 'can' and 'shall,' 'must' has no past form. It also differs from other modals in that its negative and question forms are no longer commonly used in everyday speech. 'Must' has different uses in English, including:
expressing obligation
offering a conclusion or deduction
making suggestions and recommendations
Expressing Obligation
'Must' can be used to show that something is necessary or obligatory to be done. For example:
All applicants must submit their resumes.
You must be home by 11 o'clock.
In this case we are not referring to an obligation.
Offering a Conclusion or Deduction
'Must' can be used to present a conclusion or deduction based on evidence or logical reasoning. For example:
You must be hungry after walking for a long time.
It is logical to get hungry after long walks.
You must be tired after driving all this way
In this usage, you can use 'must' + 'have' + 'past participle' to refer to a deduction about the past.
He must have known what she wanted.
She must have been here.
Warning!
When used in this sense, 'must' cannot be negated. To show a negative possibility, 'can't' is typically used. For example:
This must be the place. → This can't be the place.
Here, the negated sentence shows a negative conclusion.
Making Suggestions and Recommendations
'Must' can be used to express a strong recommendation or advice. This use is more common in British English. For example:
You simply must watch this movie.
We must get together for lunch.
Have to
'Have to' or '*have got to' is a modal verb and it is used to:
express necessity and obligation
give advice or recommendation
express certainty
express annoyance
Expressing Necessity and Obligation
'Have to' is commonly used to express an obligation or requirement, often indicating that the obligation comes from external factors such as rules, laws, or social expectations. For example:
Sorry, I've got to go.
You have to pay your bills on time.
Tip!
Must and have (got) to are synonymous in this usage. However, there is a subtle difference between them. 'Must' is used to talk about what the speaker wants, while 'have (got) to' is used to talk about external obligations, such as rules, deadlines, etc.
You must apply for a visa.
You have to apply for a visa to be able to enter the country.
Past Obligations or Necessities
'Must' does not have a past form. To talk past obligations, you can use the past form of 'have to' which is 'had to' or its present perfect form 'have had to'. For example:
I had to wait an hour for the train.
Sarah has had to study a lot for her English exam.
Future Obligations or Necessities
'Must' does not have a future form. To talk about the future, you can use the future form of 'have to' which is 'will have to' or 'have to' if an arrangement has already been made. Pay attention to the examples:
She'll have to hurry if she wants to arrive on time.
I have to go to the dentist tomorrow.
Giving Advice or Recommendation
'Have to' in American English and 'have got to' in British English are used to express a strong recommendation or advice.
You simply have to tell him the truth.
You've got to try this snack—it's delicious.
Warning
Modals typically do not need an auxiliary verb for forming questions or negation. But 'have to' is different. Questions and negative sentences with 'have to' are formed using the auxiliary verb 'do'. Pay attention to the examples:
Do we have to pay the fee beforehand?
You don't have to wear a uniform.
Tip!
In negative sentences both 'must not' and 'don't/doesn't have to' are used, but with different meanings. 'Must not' is used to indicate prohibition or to tell somebody not to do something. For example:
You must not make a noise in this room.
You mustn't leave the window open.
On the other hand, 'don't/doesn't have to' is used to indicate that something is not necessary or required. For example:
We don't have to work on weekends.
Expressing Certainty
'Have to' is used to express something that is thought to be true based on deduction or logic. Both 'must' and 'have to' are used to say that you are certain about something. 'Have to' is more common in American English.
There has to be a reason for his strange behavior.
Expressing Annoyance
'Have to' is used to express annoyance or to suggest that an event is intentionally directed at the speaker with the purpose of causing annoyance. For example:
It had to start raining as soon as we got to the beach.
Does he have to talk so loudly on the phone?
Review
'Have to' and 'must' is used to express obligations. The tables below summarize the different meanings each of them can express.
must | |
|---|---|
expressing rules or laws | You must speak to the secretary first. |
expressing something likely or logical | He must be sleeping now, he works 18 hours per day. |
making suggestions and recommendations | You must try the turkey sandwich. |
Have to | |
|---|---|
necessity and obligation | You have to pay your own bills. |
giving advice or recommendation | They have to be patient to get the job. |
expressing certainty | It has to be Mark. I remember he had these ocean blue eyes when he was younger. |
expressing annoyance | I wonder why it has to always be me who is in charge of everything. |
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