We can use have to +
infinitive, must + infinitive and should +
infinitive to express obligation (something you have to do).
Present
|
Positive
|
Negative
|
have to /
don't have to |
strong obligation (possibly from outside)
-Children have to go to school.
(sometimes 'have got to')
|
no obligation
-I don't have to work on Sundays.
-You don't have to eat anything you don't like.
|
must / mustn't
|
strong obligation (possibly based
on the speaker's opinion)
-I must study today.
|
negative obligation
-You mustn't smoke here.
|
should / shouldn't
|
mild obligation or advice
-You should save some money.
|
mild negative obligation or advice
-You shouldn't smoke so much.
|
Be careful about the
difference between mustn't and don't have to!
Mustn't means it's not allowed, or it's a bad idea:
Mustn't means it's not allowed, or it's a bad idea:
-You mustn't eat so much chocolate, you'll be sick
Don't have to means you don't need to do something, but it's fine if
you want to do it:
I don't have to get up early at the weekend (of course, if I
want to get up early, that's fine, but I can stay in bed if I want).
Past
|
Positive
|
Negative
|
had to / didn't have to
|
obligation in the past
-I had to wear a school uniform when I was a child.
|
no obligation in the past
-We didn't have to go to school on Saturdays.
|
must*
|
changes to 'had to'
|
-
|
should have + pp / shouldn't have + pp
|
a past action which didn't happen: the advice / regret is
too late
-You should have gone to bed earlier, now you have missed
the train.
|
a past action which didn't happen:
the advice / regret is too late
-You shouldn't have taken that
job., it was a bad idea.
|
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