Must, have to

Must/mustn’t

Use must + infinitive without to

Must is a modal verb, and modal verbs are followed by an infinitive without to.

I must go to the doctor.

Modal verbs don’t add -s after he/she/it.

He must come with us.

Use must/mustn’t in negatives and questions

Do not use do/did in negatives and questions.

We mustn’t arrive early.

Must we arrive early?

Have to/don’t have to

Use do and did in negatives and questions

The verb have in have to is not an auxiliary verb. Use do/don’t, does/doesn’t, did/didn’t in questions and negative sentences in present and past.

Do you have to get up early tomorrow?

Did you have to buy a new sound card?

We don’t have to stay until the end.


No contraction

The verb have in have to cannot be contracted to ‘ve.

I have to study for the exam tomorrow.

Past and future forms

Only have to has a past and a future form. Must does not have a past or a future form.

Yesterday, I had to take a taxi.

You will have to take a taxi if it rains tomorrow.


Be careful about the difference between mustn't and don't have to!

Mustn't means it's not allowed, or it's a bad idea:

You mustn't eat so much chocolate, you'll be sick.

Don't have to means you don't need to do something, but it's fine if you want to do it:

I don't have to get up early at the weekend.