Obligation and suggestion

modal verbs
Obligation

● Must. we can use this modal verb to express obligation.Must is used to express
inner or personal obligation (something that we impossed ourselves). It is also
often used in writtenition r rules. In negative mustn’t expresses prohibition
rather than lack of obligation. Questions with must are not often used.

e.g. I must finish before 5 p.m. if I want to get to the cinema on time.

They must follow the instructions.

Remember, must does not change
with the subject , doesn’t use
She mustn’t eat in the auditorium.
auxiliaries or to and is used to
express present or future
situations, not past.
● Have to. It is also used to express obligation. We normally use have to to
express external obligation (someone else makes you do it). Have to is also used
to express that something is necessary. In the negative form not have to, it
expresses lack of obligation (not necessary). Remember: have to
can be used in
e.g. I have to deliver this for tomorrow. different tenses:
present, past, future,
She has to clean her room before her mom arrives. etc. Just remember to
use the correct form
We don’t have to bring anything to the party. and auxiliary in each
case.
They had to wear uniform for school.
Suggestion

● Should. is a modal verb that can be used to express advice or suggestions.

Something that we are not obliged to do but it’s a good idea to do it or in the
contrary with shouldn’t it’s not a prohibition but it’s not a good idea to do it.

e.g. You should go to the doctor, you look terrible.

She shouldn’t leave her car open.

Should I call her?

● Ought to. this is just an alternative to should. It means the same and we can use
them indistinctly. The difference is only in the negative form on which we can’t
make contractions.

e.g. I ought to go to the doctor I don’t feel well.

They ought not to give their name to strangers.

We ought to go to the cinema, we don’t have anything to do.

● Had better. another option to should, but with a slight difference. Besides
giving a suggestion, it can also imply a warning. To tell somebody that it will
better to do or not do something because there will be not very pleasant
repercussions.

e.g. You had better tell the truth or you will be grounded.

Kevin had better not take the car without permission, his father will get
angry.