5. MUST

Must

The modal verb must is used for many expressions.

Examples:

  • She  must  smile more often. (Suggestion)
  • You  must  bring along your own calculator. It’s not provided. (Command/Advice)
  • She has been talking for so long her mouth  must  be very dry now. (Opinion)
  • All of you  must  come over for the tea party next weekend. (Invitation)
  • You haven’t eaten a pear for a long while, and you think you  must  pluck one from your neighbor's tree? (Desire)
  • You have a big pond, so you  must  keep some ducks. (Insistence)

Must  is used to show something is required.

Examples:

  • You  must  sign the visitor book. .
  • All applicants  must  fill in all the pink forms.
  • We  must  stop at the library to renew the books.

Must  is used to show something is necessary.

Examples:

  • You  must  follow the step-by-step instructions to get it working.
  • The advice is she must  do 30 minutes of vigorous exercise every day to shed off the excess fat.
  • You  must  see the doctor about that lump on your cheek.

Must  is used to show something is required by a rule or law.

Examples:

  • All passengers  must  gather here fifteen minutes before departure.
  • You  must  obey the rules and not bring your pet monkey here.  Â

Must  is used to show something that is very likely or possible.

Examples:

  • They  must  be arriving soon.
  • It  must  be almost one hundred people in that long queue.
  • He  must  be the skinniest member of his family.  Â

Must  is used to emphasize a statement.

Examples:

  • I must say that big man was a real coward. (Emphasis)
  • You must admit you are wrong, and they are right. .

Must  is used in questions to express annoyance or anger.

Examples:

  • Must you visit the toilet so many times?
  • Why must you always say I’m wasting my time watching television?
  • Must you always be as stubborn as a mule? Â

We use  had to , not  must  to express obligation and necessity in the past.

Examples:

  • Yes : I didn't pass my exam and had to  sit it again.
    No : I didn't pass my exam and must sit it again.
  • Yes : Yesterday, we had to  take a taxi home when the rain began to fall.
    No : Yesterday, we must  take a taxi home when the rain began to fall.

Must  is used for a future action in the past.

Examples:

  • It was still a long way to go, but we knew we  must  arrive in the city before it got dark.
  • The police had no leads in the case, but they  must  carry on investigating into the woman’s murder.