Centro de Educación Integral CEDI 

Sábado abril 25, 2020 
 
GOAL​: Identify the use of ​SOCIAL MODAL 
 
Social Modals​: Opinions, Obligations, Necessity, Requirements, Rules, Laws. 
SOCIAL MODAL 3 
 
 

1.   

Should  and  ​ought  to  are  used  to  express  personal  opinions  and 
obligations.  ​Have  to,  have  got  to  and  ​must  are  all  used  to  express 
necessity.  When  necessity  is  in  the  form  of  requirements,  rules  and 
laws, must is used. 
 
Opinions:    People ​shouldn't​ smoke in public buildings. 
Obligations:    I ​should​ call my aunt soon. 
Necessity:    I ​have to​ get up early tomorrow. 
Requirements:    You ​must​ write a term paper for this course. 
Rules:    You ​must​ be quiet in a hospital. 
Laws:    You ​must​ be 16 to get a driver's license. 
 
 
 

2.   

Obligations, requirements, and laws are stronger than opinions: 

 

Obligations:    My friend is in the hospital. I ​should​ visit her. 

Requirements:    Job applicants ​must​ have a high school diploma. 
Laws:    You ​have to​ be 21 to buy beer in this state. 
 

Weaker should, ought to 

COMPLEMENTARY READING 
 

Have to, have got to 

Stronger Must 
 
 
 

3.   

Should  and  ​ought  to  often  express  personal  opinions  about what is 

right or wrong: 
You ​shouldn’t​ phone people at dinnertime. 
 
 
 

4.   

Have  to,  have  got  to  and  ​must  express  necessity.  They  are  very 
similar  in  meaning,  but  they  are  often  used  in  different  types  of 
situations.  ​Have  to  and  ​have  got  to  are  used  especially  in 
conversation  to  avoid  using  the  more  formal  ​must​.  Have  to  is  used 
instead  of  must  to  ask  questions  about  necessity.  ​Do  occurs  in 
questions with ​have to​: 
Kelly:  Ih
​ ave got to​ leave now 
Jair:  Do you h​ ave to​ leave right away? 
 
 
 

5.   

Have  to  and  ​have  got  to  have  a  different  form  for  the  third  person 
singular: 
It ​has to​ be ready on Monday. 
It ​has got to​ be ready on Monday. 
 
 
 

6.   

COMPLEMENTARY READING 
 

Must  is  especially  strong.  It  is  used  to  express  requirements, 
rules and laws: 
Professor and student  

You ​must​ take the final exam if you want to pass the course. I can´t make any exceptions. 
 
 
School handbook for parents  

If  it  is  necessary  for  a  child  to  receive  medication  in  school,  the  parent  ​must  send  a  written, 
dated request. 
 
Driver´s manual 

Bicyclist ​must​ signal turns and stops with hand signals. 

 
 
 

7.   

Note,  however,  that  ​should,  have  to​,  and  have  got  to  are  often  used 
instead of ​must​ to restate rules and laws in less formal English. 
Luis:  Do cyclists h
​ ave to​ use hand signals for turning? 
Fernando: The  driver´s  manual  says  that  cyclists  ​should  signal  turns  and  stops  with  hand 
signals. 
 
 
 

8.   

In  the  first  person,  ​must  expresses  a  strong  personal  obligation, 

something that the speaker feels is necessary to do: 
I ​must​ call my parents tonight. I h
​ aven't​ spoken to them all week. 
 
 
 

9.   

COMPLEMENTARY READING 
 

Must  has  a  special  meaning  in  questions.  It  often  expresses 

complaints or disapproval: 
Must ​you make that awful noise? 
Must​ we have spinach again? 
 

CONVERSATIONS NOTES 
 

1.   

Have​ or ​has​ in have got to is usually contracted to ​´ve​ or ​´s​: 

I​´ve​ g
​ ot to​ go. 
She​´s​ ​got to​ go. 
 
 

2.   

Have to​ and ​has to​ are not contracted: 

I​ have to​ go. 
She​ have to​ go. 

COMPLEMENTARY READING