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Content tagged with "obligation"

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Modals to express obligation: MUST, HAVE (GOT) TO

modals
necessity
obligation
HAVE (GOT) TO
MUST

Present and future

Must refers to obligations which come from the speaker and may be directed at the speaker or the listener:

I really must give up smoking. (directed at the speaker)
You must keep this secret. (directed at the listener)

Modals to express obligation: SHOULD, OUGHT TO

modals
obligation
OUGHT TO
SHOULD

Present and future

Should and ought to + infinitive express obligation and duty. Should is used when we offer a subjective opinion, while ought to has a more general and more objective meaning:

The modal SHALL to express obligation

modals
obligation
SHALL

Shall is used to express formal rules and regulations or commands in an archaic style:

Visitors shall be accompanied at all times by a security guard.
You shall not kill.

The semi-modal NEED

modals
necessity
obligation
NEED

Present and future

Need can behave either as a modal verb or as a main verb: