Chris explains the difference between ‘must’, ‘have to’, ‘must not’, ‘don’t have to’ and ‘need not’ (needn’t). For Dani. Please click here for a visual grammar cline.
Must
Obligation: yes.
Do you do it? Yes.
‘You must go to all your classes’.
Have to
Obligation: yes.
Do you do it? Yes.
‘I have to go shopping’.
Must not
Obligation: yes.
Do you do it? No.
‘You must not smoke at school’.
Do not (don’t) have to
Obligation: no.
Do you do it? You choose.
‘You don’t have to come later’.
Need not (needn’t)
Obligation: no.
Do you do it? You choose.
‘You needn’t come later if you don’t want to’.
Notes
must = have to
don’t have to = needn’t = don’t need to
