What Are Must and Have to?
'Must' and 'have to' are two common English modal verbs used to indicate that something should be done or to necessitate an event. Both of them are used in English but 'have to' is more common among American speakers.
Structure
Just as the same as the other modal verbs in English, we use this pair with the base form of the verbs. Look at the following examples:
She
We
I
Warning!
Be careful that you do not forget to use 'to' after the modal verb.
She
As you can see, when using a third-person singular pronoun, this modal verb is changed accordingly.
These two modal verbs are also used in negative statements and questions. Pay attention to the sentences below:
I
We can also use 'must' in question tags. Look:
They must write their proposals,
Your friend must come with you,
Tip!
Please note that mustn't be only used in informal conversations and never in formal, written English.
I
As you can see, when using 'have to' in such sentences, we should add 'do' or 'does'.
Uses
As it was mentioned above, these two are used in various contexts and situations. Below is a list of their important uses:
- Indicating Rules
- Suggesting and Recommending Something
- Expressing Something Likely or Logical
Indicating Rules
These two modal verbs are used to talk about a necessity and something that must be done. Look at the following examples:
She
I
Suggesting and Recommending Something
These two modal verbs can also be used when we are trying to suggest an idea to someone or give them a simple piece of advice. Study the following examples carefully:
Don't you think you
I think they
Expressing Something Likely or Logical
If we want to talk about a certain event, or something likely to happen, we can use these two modal verbs. Look at the examples below:
Camping
It
Tip!
As mentioned above, 'have to' is also used to show a sense of annoyance to someone or something. Pay attention to the following examples:
It
Here, the sentence shows that he/she was hurt by someone or something, there is no force or necessity here.