MUST, HAVE TO and BE TO compared

All these verbs have one mean­ing in common - obligation. But:

 

must shows obligation or necessity from the speaker's viewpoint.

§ I must do it. (I want to do it.)

§ He must do it himself. (I shan't help him.)

to have to expresses obligation or necessity due to circum­stances.

§ What a pity you have to go now. (It's time for you to catch your train.)

§ He has to do it himself. (He has got no one to help him.)

to be to expresses obligation or necessity implying arrangement.

§ We are to wait for them at the entrance. (We have arranged to meet there)

In past tense the difference between three verbs is quite considerable. Must has no past tense and is not changed in the sequence of tenses.

§ He said he must do it himself.

had to + infinitive is generally used to denote an action which was realized in the past as a result of obligation or necessity due to circumstances:

§ I had to sell my car. (…because I needed money.)

§ He had to put on his raincoat. (It was raining hard outside...)

was (were) to + infinitive shows planned action viewed from the past. The action was not realized in the past and the question remains open:

§ We were to meet him at the station. (Нам предстояло...)

If the plan was not fulfilled - Perfect Infinitive is used:

§ We were to have met him at the station. (Нам предстояло, но ….)

had to + infinitive is used in reported speech to express obligation.

§ He said he had to make a telephone call at once.

 

In this case had to is close to must in meaning: it does not in­clude the idea of a realized action but refers to some future moment. Do not replace must by had to in reported speech as they express different meanings.

EXERCISES:

 

Ex. 74. Turn the following affirmative sentences containing have to into negative and interrogative:

1. He has to light a fire. 2. They had to change their shoes. 3. I shall have to buy a new pair of gloves. 4. She has to go home early. 5. He had to give it back. 6. She'll have to come again.

 

Ex. 75. Translate the following sentences into English using have to or be to:

1. Барт должен был увидеться со своим шурином за ленчем на следующий день, но он не считал нужным рассказывать об этом жене. 2. Ей пришлось пить чай без сахара. 3. Я знал, что Пэт должна была прийти в клуб. 4. Я был несколько удивлен, обнаружив в зале, где я должен был выступать, так много людей. 5. Мне не нужно быть там раньше трех часов. 6. Руди пригласили на обед домой к Мэри. После обеда они должны были пойти в кино. 7. Один из гостей сел около меня. Мне не нужно было гово­рить, кто он. 8. Они бомбили нас весь день вчера, и мы вынуждены были оставаться в окопах. 9. «У тебя короткие волосы, и они вьются». — «Я болела скарлатиной, и волосы пришлось обрезать». 10. «Я ведь никогда не говорил тебе, что учился в частной школе?» — спросил Алек. — «В этом не было необходимо­сти. Я это знала». 11. На следующий день Франк взял меня на долгую автомо­бильную прогулку. А в семь часов мы должны были обе­дать с Гринами. 12. По радио объявили, что вечером должен выступать прези­дент. 13. Он должен был пододвинуться поближе, чтобы услышать ее. 14. В этот час Филиппа никогда не было видно.

 

Ex. 76. Fill in the blanks with have to or be to:

1. At nightfall the ship put in at a small port where they... to load three hundred bags of coffee. 2. They... to light a fire to cook their supper. 3. He set off for the school where he... to write examinations for entry to the University. 4. When I got home I found I had left my olive oil in front of the notice-board and I... to return in the afternoon to collect it. 5. He made all arrangements for the marriage, which... to take place on the day of his mother's arrival. 6. The Finnish woman who... to work for Finch had not arrived yet. 7. She knew there would be no more vacations for her sons. But she... (not) to say it. They knew that as well as she. 8. Eden went to the wood where he... to meet his brother for a ride. 9. Uncle Nick's things... to be moved out of his room so that it could be re-let. 10. For the next few weeks I... to stay in bed. Everyone came to visit me, and brought me presents, and I... (not) to do the cooking. 11. Early in January Maurice returned to Ireland and his brother accompanied him. He... to remain with him till spring. He then... to go to the Slade School of Fine Arts in London. 12. They went to inspect Finch's new house. Finch said that only the last touches... to be added there and he... to move into it quite soon. 13. That day, however, I had a pupil waiting for an English lesson and I... to cut my visit short.

 

Ex. 77. To practise the use of have to and be to, make up situations of your own using the following patterns:

1. приходится (пришлось, придется)...

Не has to work here all day.

He had to work there all day.

He will have to work there all day.

2. не нужно...

You don't have to work here all day.

You didn't have to work there all day.

You won't have to work there all day.

3. ему лучше...

He had better go home at once.

What had he better do with this letter?

4. мне суждено...

This was the first time I made a journey that I was to make hundreds of times afterwards.