Questions tagged [obligation]
The obligation tag has no usage guidance.
7
questions
2
votes
2
answers
14k
views
"I have to" vs. "I must"
When would you use the following?
I have to go the market.
I must go to the market.
I need to go to the market.
If I replace 'have' with 'had' would you have any other way to say it? E.g. I had to ...
9
votes
4
answers
35k
views
Does 'should' imply an unquestionable command?
My question is prompted by a question on the programmers.stackexchange:
This may be a duplicate of another question here on english.stackechange, but the answers given to that question did not ...
28
votes
5
answers
23k
views
Why should I use "ought to"?
Is "ought to" still used in modern English? If yes, in what contexts is it used, and is it used more in formal or informal cases?
8
votes
2
answers
126k
views
What is the difference between “have to”, “must”, and “should”? [duplicate]
Is there any difference between have to”, “must”, and “should”?
If there is some difference between them, when do I have to use (nor not use) each of the constructions below?
have to do something
...
5
votes
2
answers
18k
views
"Should" vs "have to" [duplicate]
Consider:
You should do it.
You have to do it.
Does should show suggestion and have to show compulsion or motivation?
2
votes
1
answer
3k
views
Must (Past Obligation Interrogative) "Must you have eaten all the food?" [closed]
Is the question "Must you have eaten all the food" correct when used in the past obligatory sense?
The best examples I can find are quite ambiguous.
"Must He have been less than perfectly kind to ...
1
vote
1
answer
1k
views
What is the degree of strength of the verbs listed below dealing with rules/advice?
I used to have a list that showed the increasing strength of these words, but I seemed to have lost it.
The words/phrases are: must/mustn't, should/shouldn't, have to/don't have to, can/can't, and ...