English Mastery
Module 3 · Modal Verbs

Must & Have To

Intermediate50 min25 questions7 sections
Step 1

Quick Look

MUST and HAVE TO both mean ‘zaroori hai’ — but they carry different flavours of necessity, and their NEGATIVES mean completely different things. Mustn’t = prohibited. Don’t have to = optional. Confusing the two doesn’t just sound wrong; it reverses your meaning. This is the most consequential chapter in the module.
Sentence TypeStructure + Example
MUST
Internal or speaker-imposed necessity
I must call my mother tonight. (I feel it)
HAVE TO
External necessity — rules, laws, circumstances
I have to file the return by the 31st. (the system says so)
The negative trap
You mustn’t tell anyone. (FORBIDDEN) You don’t have to tell anyone. (NOT NECESSARY)

The golden rule: in the positive, must and have to overlap heavily — pick either. In the NEGATIVE, they split into opposites: mustn’t = prohibition (mat karo!), don’t have to = no obligation (zaroori nahin). Before writing a negative, ask: am I banning it, or excusing it?

The negative trap
Am I BANNING it … or EXCUSING it? mustn’tyou must NOT do itPROHIBITEDYou mustn’t share the OTPwith anyone.dangerousअOTP किसी को मत बताना (मनाही) don’t have tono obligation – your choiceOPTIONALYou don’t have to come to theoffice tomorrow.it’s a holidayअकल आना ज़रूरी नहीं (छूट)MUST / HAVE TOyou must do itDON'T HAVE TOdo it or not – your choiceMUSTN'Tyou must not do it
In the positive, must and have to overlap. In the negative, they are opposites.
Step 2

When to Use It

mustfrom insideI feel it · I impose itpersonal conviction, or authority talking down
Use 1

MUST — necessity the speaker feels or imposes

Personal conviction, self-discipline, or authority talking down.
  • I must stop taking every call after 10 p.m.
  • You must read the fine print — I’m telling you as a friend.
  • All visitors must sign the register. (notice-board authority)
have torules · laws · schedulesother people’s requirements – the system says so
Use 2

HAVE TO — necessity from outside

Rules, laws, schedules, other people’s requirements.
  • We have to get the map approved before excavation.
  • She has to travel to Lucknow twice a month for the project.
  • Buyers have to pay stamp duty at registration.
mustn’tprohibited don’t have tooptional
Use 3

The negatives — opposite worlds

This is where meaning flips.
  • You mustn’t share the OTP with anyone. (prohibited — dangerous)
  • You don’t have to come to the office tomorrow. (optional — it’s a holiday)
  • Tenants mustn’t sublet the flat. / You don’t have to repaint before leaving — we’ll handle it.
lights are onevidencesomeone must be insideI’m sure
Use 4

MUST for deduction — ‘I’m sure’

Strong logical conclusion about the present. (Past deductions — must have — come in Chapter 8.)
  • The lights are on — someone must be inside.
  • He closed three deals this month; he must be exhausted.
  • This must be the original allotment letter — see the embossed seal.
had tohave towill have tomustmustNOWPASTFUTURE
Use 5

HAVE TO carries the tenses

Must has no past or future. Have to fills them: had to, will have to.
  • We had to cancel yesterday’s site visit — sealing drive in the area.
  • You will have to renew the agreement in March.
  • Has he ever had to appear in court for this?
Inside or outside?
mustspeaker feels or imposes itI must call my mother tonight.I feel itAll visitors must sign the register.notice-board authority have torules, laws, schedules, othersI have to file the return by the 31st.the system says soBuyers have to pay stamp duty.a rule at registrationIN THE POSITIVEmustorhave topick eitherIN THE NEGATIVEmustn’tdon’t have to
Must = necessity from inside (the speaker). Have to = necessity from outside (rules, laws, schedules).
Step 3

Hindi Concept Note

अHindi Concept Noteहिंदी में समझिए
MUST / HAVE TO = ‘ज़रूरी है / पड़ता है’। अंदर की ज़रूरत must; बाहर का नियम have to।
मुझे माँ को फ़ोन करना ही है (दिल से) I must call my mother. / मुझे return भरना पड़ेगा (क़ानून) I have to file the return.
असली खेल negative में है — यहाँ दोनों उल्टे हो जाते हैं:
OTP किसी को मत बताना (मनाही) You mustn’t share the OTP. / कल आना ज़रूरी नहीं (छूट) You don’t have to come tomorrow.
हिंदी में ‘ज़रूरी नहीं’ और ‘मत करो’ अलग-अलग हैं — English में भी वैसे ही: don’t have to mustn’t।
और past/future में must नहीं चलता — ‘जाना पड़ा’ had to go, ‘जाना पड़ेगा’ will have to go।
Step 4

Common Mistakes Hindi Speakers Make

Wrong
Right
Why
You mustn’t attend the meeting — it’s optional.
You don’t have to attend the meeting — it’s optional.
Mustn’t bans; don’t have to excuses. Optional = don’t have to.
You don’t have to touch the live wire!
You mustn’t touch the live wire!
Danger = prohibition = mustn’t. ‘Don’t have to’ would mean touching is merely unnecessary.
I must to submit the file today.
I must submit the file today.
No ‘to’ after must — ever.
Yesterday I must go to the tehsil office.
Yesterday I had to go to the tehsil office.
Must has no past. Past obligation = had to.
She doesn’t has to come early.
She doesn’t have to come early.
After doesn’t, the verb returns to base: have.
He must be knowing the owner. (deduction)
He must know the owner.
Stative verbs refuse -ing even under modals — Module 1’s oldest rule.
Step 5

Signal Words

Choosing correctly:
Rule/law/schedule have to; personal conviction or authority voice must
Banned/dangerous mustn’t; merely optional don’t have to
Past obligation had to; future obligation will have to
‘I’m sure’ about the present must be / must know
Signboards and notices must / must not (official register)
Step 6

Practice

Set A

Fill in the blanks

0 / 10
  1. 1
    All site workers (must/wear) helmets beyond this point.
  2. 2
    I (have to/renew) my driving licence next month — it expires on the 12th.
  3. 3
    You (not/have to) pay the full amount today; 20% booking is enough.
  4. 4
    You (must/not/disclose) the client list to anyone outside the firm.
  5. 5
    Last year we (have to/shift) the office twice.
  6. 6
    The AC is running and his car is outside — he (must/be) in.
  7. 7
    She (have to/appear) before the committee tomorrow, whether she likes it or not.
  8. 8
    Guests (must/not/feed) the stray dogs inside the society.
  9. 9
    You (will/have to/apply) again if the file lapses.
  10. 10
    I (must/remember) to wish Bhabhi ji — it’s her birthday.
Set B

Correct the mistake

0 / 8
  1. 11
    You mustn’t come on Sunday; we’re closed anyway, so no need.
  2. 12
    Visitors don’t have to smoke in the lobby. (it’s banned)
  3. 13
    He must submitted the documents yesterday. (past obligation)
  4. 14
    She must to inform the RWA first.
  5. 15
    They doesn’t have to pay maintenance for the first year.
  6. 16
    I will must attend the hearing next week.
  7. 17
    The meter is spinning fast — something must using heavy power.
  8. 18
    Do I must sign every page?
Set C

Translate into English

0 / 7
  1. 19
    मुझे आज यह काम ख़त्म करना ही है।
  2. 20
    हमें हर महीने report भेजनी पड़ती है।
  3. 21
    तुम्हें कल आना ज़रूरी नहीं है।
  4. 22
    यहाँ धूम्रपान मत करो — सख़्त मना है।
  5. 23
    कल मुझे बैंक जाना पड़ा।
  6. 24
    बत्ती जल रही है — वह घर पर ही होगा।
  7. 25
    अगले साल हमें नया agreement बनवाना पड़ेगा।
Step 7

Answer Key

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Answers · Set A
1
must wear
2
have to renew
3
do not (don’t) have to
4
must not (mustn’t) disclose
5
had to shift
6
must be
7
has to appear
8
must not (mustn’t) feed
9
will have to apply
10
must remember
Answers · Set B
11
You don’t have to come on Sunday. (No need = don’t have to, not mustn’t.)
12
Visitors mustn’t (must not) smoke in the lobby. (Banned = mustn’t.)
13
He had to submit the documents yesterday. (Past obligation had to.)
14
She must inform the RWA first. (No ‘to’ after must.)
15
They don’t have to pay maintenance for the first year. (They don’t.)
16
I will have to attend the hearing next week. (No double modals — will have to.)
17
Something must be using heavy power. (Must + be + -ing for ongoing deduction.)
18
Do I have to sign every page? / Must I sign every page? (Either — but never ‘Do I must’.)
Answers · Set C
19
I must finish this work today. / I have to complete this work today itself.
20
We have to send a report every month.
21
You don’t have to come tomorrow. / It is not necessary for you to come tomorrow.
22
You mustn’t smoke here — it is strictly prohibited. / Smoking is strictly prohibited here.
23
I had to go to the bank yesterday.
24
The light is on — he must be at home.
25
We will have to get a new agreement made next year.

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Next up · Chapter 5Have Got To & Had Better

Urgency and warning: I’ve got to leave now, and you had better not miss that deadline.