© Luke Donovan | Game of English | CC BY-SA 4.0
GZ12.04 - Obligation, Necessity and Prohibition
Choose a grammar card
A - Must - Strong Obligation
B - Have/Has To - Obligation
C - Don't/Doesn't Have To - No Obligation
D - Mustn't - Prohibition
E - Need/Needs To - Necessity
F - Don't/Doesn't Need To - No Necessity
G - Needn't - No Necessity
H - Had To - Past Obligation
I - Didn't Have To - No Past Obligation
© Luke Donovan | Game of English | CC BY-SA 4.0
GZ12.04A - Must - Strong Obligation
[P] = Person/subject
[A] = Action (base verb)
Use must for a strong rule or obligation.
[P] + must + base verb
You must wear a seat belt.
Must is followed by the base verb, without to. It does not change for he, she or it.
✓ You must wear a seat belt.
✗ She must wears a seat belt.
✗ You must to wear a seat belt.
Home
Next
© Luke Donovan | Game of English | CC BY-SA 4.0
GZ12.04B - Have/Has To - Obligation
[P] = Person/subject
[A] = Action (base verb)
Use have to or has to for an obligation or requirement.
[P] + have/has to + base verb
She has to wear a uniform.
Choose has to with he, she or it; use have to with I, you, we or they. Keep the action verb in its base form.
✓ She has to wear a uniform.
✗ She have to wear a uniform.
✗ She has to wears a uniform.
Home
Back
Next
© Luke Donovan | Game of English | CC BY-SA 4.0
GZ12.04C - Don't/Doesn't Have To - No Obligation
[P] = Person/subject
[A] = Action (base verb)
Use this when something is not necessary or compulsory.
[P] + don't/doesn't have to + base verb
He doesn't have to work on Sundays.
Use doesn't with he, she or it and don't with other subjects. No obligation does not mean prohibition: you may still do it.
✓ He doesn't have to work on Sundays.
✗ He doesn't has to work on Sundays.
✗ He mustn't work on Sundays. (different meaning)
Home
Back
Next
© Luke Donovan | Game of English | CC BY-SA 4.0
GZ12.04D - Mustn't - Prohibition
[P] = Person/subject
[A] = Action (base verb)
Use mustn’t when something is forbidden or against a rule.
[P] + mustn't + base verb
You mustn't smoke here.
Mustn't means do not do it. It is different from don't have to, which means it is optional.
✓ You mustn't smoke here.
✗ You mustn't to smoke here.
✗ You don't have to smoke here. (different meaning)
Home
Back
Next
© Luke Donovan | Game of English | CC BY-SA 4.0
GZ12.04E - Need/Needs To - Necessity
[P] = Person/subject
[A] = Action (base verb)
Use need to or needs to for something necessary.
[P] + need/needs to + base verb
She needs to renew her passport.
Use needs to with he, she or it and need to with other subjects. The next action stays in its base form.
✓ She needs to renew her passport.
✗ She need to renew her passport.
✗ She needs to renews her passport.
Home
Back
Next
© Luke Donovan | Game of English | CC BY-SA 4.0
GZ12.04F - Don't/Doesn't Need To - No Necessity
[P] = Person/subject
[A] = Action (base verb)
Use this when an action is unnecessary.
[P] + don’t/doesn’t need to + base verb
You don't need to bring any food.
Choose doesn't with he, she or it. This means there is no need; it does not mean the action is forbidden.
✓ You don't need to bring any food.
✗ She doesn't needs to bring food.
✗ You mustn't bring food. (different meaning)
Home
Back
Next
© Luke Donovan | Game of English | CC BY-SA 4.0
GZ12.04G - Needn't - No Necessity
[P] = Person/subject
[A] = Action (base verb)
Use needn’t to say something is unnecessary. It is more common in British English.
[P] + needn’t + base verb
You needn't bring any food.
Needn't is a modal form, so it takes the base verb without to. It means don't need to, not mustn't.
✓ You needn't bring any food.
✗ You needn't to bring any food.
✗ She needn't brings any food.
Home
Back
Next
© Luke Donovan | Game of English | CC BY-SA 4.0
GZ12.04H - Had To - Past Obligation
[P] = Person/subject
[A] = Action (base verb)
Use had to for an obligation or necessity in the past.
[P] + had to + base verb
I had to work late yesterday.
Had to works with all subjects. We normally use had to, not must, to express past obligation.
✓ I had to work late yesterday.
✗ She had to worked late yesterday.
✗ I musted work late yesterday.
Home
Back
Next
© Luke Donovan | Game of English | CC BY-SA 4.0
GZ12.04I - Didn't Have To - No Past Obligation
[P] = Person/subject
[A] = Action (base verb)
Use didn’t have to when something was not necessary in the past.
[P] + didn't have to + base verb
We didn't have to pay for parking.
Didn't already marks the past, so use have, not had. It does not tell us whether the action happened; only that it was not required.
✓ We didn't have to pay for parking.
✗ We didn't had to pay for parking.
✗ We mustn't pay for parking. (different meaning)
Home
Back