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| Have To (obligation) (Smrt English) |
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(Canada) | UNIT 5 - part of lesson J |
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Mark explains the use of have to to describe outside obligations.
We use HAVE TO to talk about obligations:
- I have to finish my homework before I go to bed
- You have to be 18 years old to buy a house
We can also say HAVE GOT TO or GOT TO:
- I have a car --> I have to get up early
- I've got a car --> I've got to get up early [British]
- I got a car --> I got to get up early [American]
- (I gotta car --> I gotta get up early) [American colloquial]
- I don't have a car --> I don't have to get up early
- Do you have a car? --> Do you have to get up early?
etc.
MEANING
The affirmative form expresses obligation:
- You have to get up at 8 (you have no choice, you must do it)
The negative form expresses absence of obligation (no obligation):
- You don't have to get up at 8 (but if you want, you can)
We only use HAVE TO for external obligation. Compare
- You have to be quiet in a hospital (those are the regulations)
- You must be quiet (I tell you so)
- You can't speak in a hospital (prohibition)
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