Expressing Compulsions

Study the following..
Example 1:
Siddu: Mom! I’m so hungry. I have played for quite a long time.
Mom: Your snacks are ready. But you have to wash your hands.
Siddu: My hands are OK. They are not with dust. I think I do not have to wash them.
Mom: The dust might be invisible. You must wash your hands before you eat.
Siddu: Sure! I will do it.

Example 2:
Dad: Sam has to go for driving test. He has to attend there by 2 pm.
Mom: He has to get all his documents ready.
Sam: What do I have to do there? (not what have I to do? / What I have to do?)
Dad: You will have to answer the questions that they ask. You must be able to drive and reverse the car in a narrow lane.

Enquiring about the submission of an application
Student: When should we submit the applications?
Clerk: Applications must reach this office by 5 pm on 21. Oct 2010
Student: What do we have to submit along with the application?
Clerk: You have to/ need to submit all the original certificates along with one set of xerox copies. The application must be filled in with your own hand writing. You must not stick your photograph on it.

Must
Must is used … to express compulsion

Examples:

• You must work hard to get first rank.
• When we feel something is certain
• She must be tired after three hours of continuous work.
  In the place of / to mean ‘have to’
• I have to go to railway station early or I will miss the train.
  Had to is used as the past tense of ‘must’
• I must catch the last bus to reach home.
• I had to catch the last bus yesterday to reach home.
  

Need to
Used sometimes as compulsion

• You need to go to meeting.
  

Must not
Is used in the sense of prohibition

• You must not smoke in the lab.

Need not
It means optional

• You need not pay for accessories.
• You need not clean the table, the servant will do it.

Should is also used to express compulsion. But ‘should’ is not as strong as ‘must’. It gives an advice or opinion to do something good or right.
Should is also used to express our expectations.

• Tomorrow you should be on time for the duty.
• You should win the race this time.
  When we demand, insist or recommend strongly, we use ‘should’.
• The workers demanded that the boss should apologise.
• The principal insisted that the students should wear uniform.
• You should try to lose weight. ( an advice)
• We should worry about pollution. / we ought to worry about pollution.
• You shouldn’t have scolded him.
  Should is always used with bare verb form.
• He should work.

Observe the difference

• You look dirty after your play. You should have a bath.
• You are so dirty that you must have a bath.

Expression	Intended meaning
Ram is celebrating his son’s birthday you should attend the party	You may or may not but good to attend.
Your friend is celebrating your team’s victory. You ought to attend the party	It is your moral responsibility to attend, whether you receive the invitation or not.
It is your family function. You must attend the party. / You have to attend the party.	You cannot avoid. It is compulsory.
You need to attend the party.	It is highly recommended to attend.

Ought to
It is also used to convey expectations, what is right and what is wrong.
You ought to help him. Though he hesitates to ask you it is your duty to help him. He helped you in your need.
Ought to is more of expressing obligation, a sense of moral idea and less of compulsion.

• You ought to help him.( responsibility / duty)
• You should help him. ( it is good to do/ a bit of compulsion)

Practice

• You are tired. You ............... rest. ( advise)
• I could not see clearly. I. ............... glasses.
• I’m not writing the exam tomorrow. So I ............... go to college.
• The movie is quite good. You ............... watch it.
• While filling the OMR sheet you ............... use black ink only.

Correct the following sentences

• All my casual leaves are exhausted. I must work on all days.
• I must finish my assignment yesterday. Today is the last date to submit.
• I do not think you must smoke too much.

Use the right word group

• You must not / need not use red ink while writing notes.
• You must not / need not show your identity card because you are our old student.
• We must not / need not carry anything inflammable in the travel.

Answers
Practice

• You are tired. You should take rest. ( advise)
• I could not see clearly. I have to glasses.
• I’m not writing the exam tomorrow. So I do not have to/ need not go to college.
• The movie is quite good. You should watch it.
• While filling the OMR sheet you must use black ink only.

Correct the following sentences

• All my casual leaves are exhausted. I must work on all days.
  Ans: All my casual leaves are exhausted. I have to work on all days.
• I must finish my assignment yesterday. Today is the last date to submit.
  Ans: I had to finish my assignment yesterday. Today is the last date for submission.
• I do not think you must smoke too much.
  Ans: I think you shouldn’t smoke too much. / You ought not smoke too much.

Use the right word group

• You must not / need not use red ink while writing notes.
• You must not / need not show your identity card because you are our old student.
• We must not / need not carry anything inflammable in the travel.

Published date : 29 Sep 2010 04:44PM