Must (subjective obligation)
We often use must to say that something is essential or
necessary, for example:
Structure of Must
Must is a modal auxiliary verb. It is followed by a main
verb. The structure is:
subject + must + main verb
The main verb is the base verb (infinitive without "to").
Look at these examples:
| subject |
auxiliary must |
main verb |
|
| I |
must |
go |
home. |
| You |
must |
visit |
us. |
| We |
must |
stop |
now. |
| EnglishClub.com Tip |
| Like all auxiliary verbs, "must"
cannot be followed by to. So, we say: |
- I must go now.
(not *I must to go now.)
|
|
Use of Must
In general, must expresses personal obligation.
Must expresses what the speaker thinks is necessary. Must
is subjective. Look at these examples:
- I must stop smoking.
- You must visit us soon.
- He must work harder.
In each of the above cases, the "obligation" is the opinion or
idea of the person speaking. In fact, it is not a real obligation. It is not
imposed from outside.
| EnglishClub.com Tip |
| It is sometimes possible to
use "must" for real obligation, for example a rule or a law. But generally we
use "have to" for this. |
We can use must to talk about the present or the
future. Look at these examples:
- I must go now. (present)
- I must call my mother tomorrow. (future)
There is no past tense for must. We use
have to to talk about the past.
Must not (prohibition)
>> |
