Modal Verbs Necessity Or Obligation
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Modal Chart |
Necessity or Obligation
Sample sentences from the article:
Each of us has to finish two thick books….
…he was expected to complete…
Have to / Has to / Had to
Be expected to
Each of us has to finish two thick books….
…he was expected to complete…
Have to / Has to / Had to
Be expected to
These words express necessity or
obligation. They usually indicate that someone else has imposed conditions on
us. For example:
I have to take out the
garbage. (It’s something I must do now. My mother told me to do it.)
I am expected to take out the garbage. (It’s a regular responsibility, a daily chore that my parents have given me.)
I am expected to take out the garbage. (It’s a regular responsibility, a daily chore that my parents have given me.)
A related expression is be
supposed to.
I am supposed to clean my
room. (I’m required to do it.)
In the negative, these
expressions have different meanings. For example:
I don’t have to go to the dance this weekend. (There is no obligation. I can choose to go or not.)
I’m not expected to go to the dance this weekend. (There is no expectation. People will be surprised if I do go.)
I’m not supposed to go to the dance this weekend. (I’m prohibited from going. It would probably be rude for me to go.)
I don’t have to go to the dance this weekend. (There is no obligation. I can choose to go or not.)
I’m not expected to go to the dance this weekend. (There is no expectation. People will be surprised if I do go.)
I’m not supposed to go to the dance this weekend. (I’m prohibited from going. It would probably be rude for me to go.)
Modals Chart
Modal
|
Past Modal
|
Negative
|
Negative Past
|
Can
|
Could
|
Can't
Cannot |
Couldn't
Could not |
Could
|
Could have
|
Could not
|
Couldn't have
Could not have |
Will
|
Would
|
Won't
Will not |
Wouldn't
Would not |
Would
|
Would have
|
Wouldn't
Would not |
Wouldn't have
Would not have |
May
|
May have
|
May not
|
May not have
|
Might
|
Might have
|
Might not
|
Might not have
|
Should
|
Should have
|
Should not
|
Should not have
|
Must
|
Had to
Must have |
Must not
Mustn't |
Must not have
|
Ought to
|
Ought to have
|
Ought not to
|
Ought not to have
|
Have to
Has to |
Had to
|
Don't have to
Doesn't have to |
Didn't have to
Did not have to |
Have got to
Has got to |
|
|
|
Be going to
Be supposed to |
Was/were
|
Is/are/am/not going to
Isn't/aren't/am not supposed to |
Wasn't/weren't going to
Wasn't/weren't supposed to |
Be able to
|
Was/were able to
|
Isn't/aren't able to
|
Wasn't/weren't able to
|
Be to
|
Was/were to
|
Is/are/am/not to
|
Wasn't/weren't to
|
Need to
Needs to |
Needed to
|
Doesn't need to
|
Didn't need to
Needn't |
Had better
|
|
Had better not
|
|
Used to
|
|
Didn't use to
|
|
Be about to
|
Was/were about to
|
Is/are/am not about to
|
Wasn't/weren't about to
|
Would rather
|
Would rather have
|
Would rather not
|
Would rather not have
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