情态动词表示义务与建议:must / have to / should

A2 Modals of obligation & advice: must / have to / should 26 / 50

概要

用 must 和 have to 表示某件事是必须的,用 should / ought to 给出建议。要小心:mustn’t 的意思是“不能做——这是被禁止的”,而 don’t have to 的意思是“你想做就做——这不是必须的”。

规则

这些动词后面直接接另一个动词的原形(不加 to,have to、ought to 和 need to 除外)。

义务——表示某件事是必须的:

  • must = 表示强烈的义务或规定,往往是说话人自己的感觉:You must wear a seatbelt. / I must call her.
  • have to / has to = 表示外部强加的义务(法律、工作、客观情况等):I have to work on Saturday.

在日常口语中,这两者的意思常常是重叠的。它们的主要区别体现在否定形式上:

否定式含义例句
mustn’t这是被禁止的,不能做。You mustn’t smoke here.
don’t / doesn’t have to这不是必须的,可做可不做。You don’t have to come.

建议——一个好主意:

  • should / shouldn’t = 表示建议、推荐:You should rest. / You shouldn’t worry.
  • ought to = 和 should 意思相同,语气稍微正式一点:You ought to see a doctor.
  • had better (‘d better) = 表示强烈的建议或对当下情况的警告,暗示不这样做会有不好的后果:You’d better hurry.

过去的义务: 表示义务的 must 没有过去式。过去所有情况统一用 had to: I had to leave early yesterday.

半情态动词(意思相近):

  • need to = 表示有必要:I need to buy milk.(否定:don’t need to)
  • be supposed to = 表示按计划/规定应该如此:We’re supposed to wear black.

形式与结构

结构结构例句
must主语 + must + 原形She must go now.
mustn’t主语 + must not / mustn’t + 原形He mustn’t be late.
have to主语 + have/has to + 原形They have to pay.
have to(疑问式)Do/Does + 主语 + have to + 原形Do you have to leave?
have to(否定式)主语 + don’t/doesn’t have to + 原形We don’t have to pay.
should主语 + should(n’t) + 原形You should try.
ought to主语 + ought to + 原形You ought to ask.
had better主语 + ‘d better (not) + 原形We’d better go.
had to(过去式)主语 + had to + 原形I had to wait.

注意:must、should 和 ought to 在第三人称后都不加 -s,疑问句和否定句里也都不用 do/does。只有 have to 和 need to 会用到 do/does。

例句

English说明
You must wear a helmet on the bike.说话人坚持的强硬规定。
I must remember to charge my phone.强烈的个人需要/提醒自己。
Anna has to wear a uniform at work.外部强加的义务——这是公司的规定。
Do you have to get up early tomorrow?用 have to 提问时要用 do。
Passengers mustn’t open the doors.禁止——这是不允许的。
You don’t have to finish it today.没有义务——可做可不做,由你决定。
You should drink more water.友善的建议/推荐。
You ought to apologise to her.建议,比 should 稍微正式一点。
It’s late - we’d better leave now.针对当下情况的强烈建议/警告。
Sorry, I’m late - I had to take the dog out.过去的义务;must 没有过去式。

常见错误

  • You don’t must smoke. -> You mustn’t smoke.——must 从不搭配 do;表示禁止用 mustn’t。
  • You mustn’t pay, it’s free. -> You don’t have to pay, it’s free.——表示“没有必要”用 don’t have to,而不是 mustn’t(表示禁止)。
  • Does she must work today? -> Does she have to work today?——疑问句要用 have to(搭配 do/does),不用 must。
  • I must to call him. -> I must call him.——must、should 或 mustn’t 后面不加 to。
  • Yesterday I must leave early. -> Yesterday I had to leave early.——过去的义务永远用 had to。
  • You should to rest. -> You should rest.——should 后面直接接原形,不加 to。

学习提示

  • 记忆窍门:mustn’t = 停!(禁止),don’t have to = 放松(可做可不做)。这两者的意思并不相同。
  • 表达自己强烈的感觉或书面规定时,must 最合适;日常生活中外部强加的义务和提问,用 have to 更自然。
  • had better 的语气比 should 更强——它暗示了不好的后果:You’d better save your work (or you’ll lose it).
  • 表示义务的过去式只有一个:had to。不要去找 must 的过去式。