Modal Verbs

If you want to lose weight, you eat so much chocolate, so many candies or drink beer every night.

2. Tomorrow is a holiday.My children get up early.

3. When I was a child I go to school on Saturdays.

4. I study tonight. My exams are tomorrow.

5. I see the daily report? ...Thank you very much.

6. May I smoke here? ...No, you . I am sorry.

7. Silvia her grandmother yesterday. She is old and sick.

8. You stop when the traffic lights turn red.

9. People drink and drive cars.It is prohibited.

10. He wear a tie and a uniform at work.

Obligation and permission

When we want to talk about what we are obliged to do (or what we must do), we can use the verbs 'must' or 'have to'.

To talk about what we are permitted to do (or allowed to do), we can use the verbs 'let', 'can' or 'be allowed to'.

Must and Have to:

Must and Have to are both used to talk about rules or obligations.

1. Must and have to are both followed by the base form of the main verb:

She must give money to her parents every month.

They have to get a visa before they go on holiday to the USA.

2. Must is a modal verb so it doesn't change its form:

I must wear a uniform.

She must do her homework.

3. Have to isn't a modal verb so its form does change:

I have to get up early for my job.

He has to have short hair because he's in the army.

4. There is no past form of 'must', instead we use 'had to':

We had to obey our teachers when we were students.

She had to drive on the right when she was on holiday in France.

Mustn't and Don't have to:

1. Mustn't and Don't have to are not used in the same way. Mustn't is used to talk about things we are obliged not to do:

In most countries, you mustn't drink alcohol and then drive. It's against the law.

You mustn't run in the corridors. You might slip.

2. Don't have to is used to talk about things we are not obliged to do, we can do if we want or not:

It's up to you, we can go to the cinema or not. I don't mind. We don't have to go out if you don't want to.

If you don't like the food, don't worry you don't have to eat it.

Can and be allowed to:

Can and be allowed to are both used to talk about permission.

1. Can and be allowed to are both followed by the base form of the main verb:

In Britain you can drive when you are 17.

He's allowed to wear jeans

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