Focus on Grammar. The modals of necessity are must (which is also used to express strong probability); have to; be to; ought to; should

Modals of Necessity

 

The modals of necessity are must (which is also used to express strong probability); have to; be to; ought to; should.

Must expresses a very strong need:

You must do it.

You must not go there.

Have to expresses need because of certain circumstances:

She is ill and I have to visit her.

Be to expresses a planned or scheduled necessity:

The train was to arrive at 2 o’clock.

Should and ought to express moderate necessity, sometimes recommendation. These verbs are used to express advice or to make suggestions. They do not change:

You should (ought to) help her to do this work.

In technical instructions should is often used to mean ‘must’ (particularly for warnings):

The electricity should be shut off.

Exercise 1. Insert the verb to be (to) or to have (to) in the necessary tense-form.

 

1. It looks like raining. 2. You … to take your raincoats. 3. We …to leave Moscow on Monday. 4.You not …to tell them about it if you don’t want to. 5.I did not expect that the worst …to happen. 6.You not …to discuss this problem with him before you get all the necesary instructions. 7.This very evening I … to dine with a gentleman whom I have never met before. 8.Stay here while he is busy. I don’t think you’ll …to wait long.

9. We …to work hard to achieve good results. 10. It was getting pretty late, and I …to leave in order not to be late for the last bus. 11. I did not know who …to be my roommate. 12. He …to leave for Bath that night but suddenly changed his plans. 13. He said you would …to go there alone. 14.The order came that we … not to leave the village before night. 15. Remember that you … to be at his place not later than ten.

 

Exercise 2. Fill in the blanks with the modal verbs expressing necessity.

 

1. He was disappointed because he... get up at 6 o’clock. 2. I have invited my friends for lunch. They... come at one o’clock. 3. You... make any noise after 11 o’clock. 4. Peter, you... clean your own boots. 5. I... be at the station at ten. It is very important. 6. You... eat between meals; it will make you fat. 7. I’m afraid I... go now. I... to meet Mother at the station. 8. It is very late. You... phone them now. 9. The situation was very dangerous. He felt that something... to be done. 10. You... eat so much bread; you will gain weight. 11. We... to leave on Friday. 12. Nobody met me when I came. I... to arrive by the ten o’clock train, but I couldn’t get a ticket, so I was late. 13. Why... I suffer? What have I done? 14. It was too late to change the plan, and it... to remain as it was.

 

Exercise 3. Translate the following sentences into Russian.

Explain the use of the modals.

1. You must have a visa in your passport to visit Britain. 2. I promised I’d be on time, I mustn’t be late. 3. Yesterday I was to meet her at the station at three o’clock but the train was late. 4. You ought to ask somebody for advice. It is a very difficult problem to solve it alone. 5. You haven’t got much time, you must hurry. 6. I think you should accept this job. 7. You must stop smoking. 8. You should stop smoking. 9. It is a really good play. You ought to go and see it. 10. She had to move to another appartment because she hadn’t enough money to pay for the old one. 11. I am sure they shouldn’t get married. They are too different. 12. Do you really have to do all this work about the house? Yes, I’m afraid I have to because my husband is too busy at his work and comes back late at night.

 

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