English Grammar: Uses of Must

Study Notes

Uses of Must

Indicates necessity or obligation.
Expresses strong belief or certainty about a current situation.

Contrasting Must and Have To

Must: Implies a personal obligation or necessity; often subjective.
- Example: "I must finish this report."
Have to: Implies an external obligation; often objective.
- Example: "I have to submit the report by Friday."

Expressing Certainty

Must is used to express a high degree of certainty about present situations.
- Example: "She must be at work; her car is in the parking lot."

Deductive Reasoning

Must facilitates conclusions based on evidence or reasoning.
It allows one to draw inferences from known facts.
- Example: "It’s raining; the streets must be slippery."

Examples of Must in Present Tense

"He must be tired after the long journey."
"They must know about the meeting; it was announced yesterday."
"You must see that movie; everyone is talking about it."
"She must be the one who called; her number is on the caller ID."

Uses of Must

Indicates necessity or obligation in various contexts.
Expresses strong belief or certainty regarding present situations.

Contrasting Must and Have To

Must: Reflects personal obligation or necessity, usually subjective in nature.
Example of Must: "I must finish this report" underscores individual urgency.
Have to: Signifies an external obligation or requirement, generally objective.
Example of Have to: "I have to submit the report by Friday" indicates a deadline imposed by others.

Expressing Certainty

Employs Must to convey a high degree of certainty regarding current circumstances.
Example: "She must be at work; her car is in the parking lot" infers her presence based on evidence.

Deductive Reasoning

Must aids in drawing conclusions from available evidence or reasoning.
Facilitates inference from known facts to reach logical conclusions.
Example: "It’s raining; the streets must be slippery" demonstrates reasoning based on environmental conditions.

Examples of Must in Present Tense

"He must be tired after the long journey" suggests an assumption about his state.
"They must know about the meeting; it was announced yesterday" indicates a belief based on prior information.
"You must see that movie; everyone is talking about it" conveys persuasion based on popular opinion.
"She must be the one who called; her number is on the caller ID" draws a logical conclusion from available data.

Description

Test your understanding of the modal verb 'must' in this quiz! Explore the nuances of obligation, certainty, and deductive reasoning with practical examples. Gain clarity on when to use 'must' versus 'have to' and enhance your English grammar skills.