蜜芽传媒

Will
Hello, and welcome to today’s Grammar Gameshow! I’m your host, Will, but I’m no has been! And of course, let’s not forget Leslie, our all-knowing voice in the sky.

Leslie
Hello, everyone!

Will
Tonight we’re going to ask you three questions about…

Leslie
Have to and must. Those two little expressions that are to do with obligation and make all the rules!

Will
OK! Now, let’s meet our contestants!

Simone
Hi, everyone. I’m Simone!

Will
And contestant number two?

Mya
Hello, everyone. I’m Mya!

Will
Welcome back, Mya! OK! Let’s get going. And don’t forget you can play along at home too. Our first question is multiple choice. Which of these uses of ‘have to’ and ‘must’ is different from the others?

a) You must wear your seatbelt.
b) You have to wear your seatbelt.
c) You mustn’t wear your seatbelt.
d) You don’t have to wear your seatbelt.

Simone
D is different because it describes a voluntary action

Will
Leslie?

Leslie
You’re not wrong there, Simone. ‘Must’, ‘mustn’t’ and ‘have to’ all talk about obligations - for example, rules that you need to follow. But ‘don’t have to’ is the opposite – the actions it describes are voluntary. Such as, Will doesn’t have to give anyone any points! He’s the boss!
Will
True! But, since I’m nice! Simone, you can have two points. And Mya, I liked your ‘thinking face’ there, two points to you!

Simone
Hang on! That’s not fair. Why does…

Will
Fingers on the buzzers. Here comes question two! True or false: There is no difference between ‘have to’ and ‘must’ for obligations.

Simone
False!

Will
Leslie?

Leslie
It is false! Although many use them interchangeably, in fact, we use ‘have to’ for external obligations, and ‘must’ for internal obligations.

Will
OK. One point for that. Now for the quick fire part. Based on what Leslie has just told us, tell me if these obligations would take ‘have to’ or ‘must’. You decide not to smoke.

Mya
I mustn’t smoke.

Leslie
Correct!

Will
The government wants you to pay your taxes.

Simone
We have to pay taxes.

Leslie
Correct!

Will
You don’t want to exercise, but the doctor tells you to.

Mya
I have to exercise.

Leslie
Correct!

Will
You want to brush your teeth more.

Simone
I must brush my teeth more.

Leslie
Correct!

Will
You try to resist eating chocolate.

Mya
I mustn’t eat chocolate.

Leslie
Correct!

Will
Your parents tell you to do homework.

Simone
I have to do homework.

Leslie
Correct!

Will
Well done both of you. Have 13 points between you. It’s time for our final question:
‘Must’ and ‘have to’ are modal verbs. But why is ‘have to’ different from other modal verbs?

Simone
Trick question! All modal verbs are followed by a bare infinitive verb so there is no difference.

Will
Leslie?

Leslie
It’s true that all modals, including ‘must’ and ‘have to’, are followed by a bare infinitive. But that’s not our answer.

Will
Ouch, Simone. You crashed and burned there. Mya, I can offer it to you.

Mya
Is it because modal verbs don’t change their form, but ‘have to’ does?

Will
Leslie?

Leslie
Absolutely right! Unlike other modal verbs, ‘have to’ changes to show person – for example, ‘have to’, ‘has to’ - and time – for example, ‘had to’, ‘didn’t have to’. Its meaning doesn’t change though.

Will
Good job Mya. You know, I’m taking 20 points away from Simone for stupidity, and giving them to you.

Simone
No!

Will
Well that brings us to the end of today’s Grammar Gameshow. Let’s count out the points. And the winner is… Mya with 37 and a half. Well done! Here’s what you’ve won!

Leslie
It’s a cuddly toy!

Will
You’ve finally got a friend! We’ll see you again next week, where you can play for an even bigger prize. And, Simone, what happened? You were doing so well!

Simone
Well, to be honest I…

Will
Unleash the sheep. It looks like we’ll need another contestant. Thanks for joining us. Say goodbye, Leslie.

Leslie
Goodbye, Leslie.

Will
See you next time!

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