Modals of Obligation (Must, Have to, Should) – English Grammar Exercises for A2
You are having fun at a friend’s party, but it is getting late. You need to explain why you are leaving early. Read the sentences carefully and choose the best option (A, B, C, or D) to complete each conversation.
1 “I am having a wonderful time, but it’s 11 PM. I ______ go home now.”
(A) should
(B) must to
(C) have to
(D) has to
2 “The last bus leaves in ten minutes. I ______ catch it, or I will have to walk in the dark.”
(A) am having to
(B) have to
(C) should
(D) have
3 “My mom is waiting outside in the car. I ______ leave right now!”
(A) hasn’t to
(B) must to
(C) might
(D) have to
4 “______ leave so early? The party is just getting fun!”
(A) Have you to
(B) Should you
(C) Do you have to
(D) You have to
5 “I really want to stay, but I ______ work tomorrow morning at 7 AM.”
(A) having to
(B) should
(C) have to
(D) has to
6 “You ______ leave yet! Tomorrow is Sunday, so you can sleep all day.”
(A) mustn’t
(B) don’t have to
(C) shouldn’t
(D) haven’t to
7 “Why does Sarah ______ leave the party so early?”
(A) must
(B) has to
(C) have to
(D) should
8 “I ______ finish my history essay tonight because the deadline is tomorrow at 8 AM.”
(A) should
(B) have
(C) must to
(D) have to
9 “Host: Have some more pizza!
Guest: I’d love to, but I ______ go catch my train.”
(A) have to
(B) am have to
(C) haven’t to
(D) should
10 “If you want to catch the last train, you ______ leave the house in exactly five minutes.”
(A) don’t have to
(B) has to
(C) have to
(D) must to
11 “Mark ______ wake up early tomorrow because it’s his day off. He can stay at the party!”
(A) mustn’t
(B) hasn’t to
(C) don’t have to
(D) doesn’t have to
12 “We ______ be back in the dorms by midnight, or the doors will be locked.”
(A) must to
(B) have to
(C) should
(D) are have to
13 “Do I ______ help you clean up the living room before I leave?”
(A) should to
(B) must
(C) has to
(D) have to
14 “The babysitter is leaving at 11 PM, so my parents ______ be home before then.”
(A) have to
(B) should
(C) must to
(D) has to
15 “I am so sorry, but I ______ go now. My boss just emailed me an urgent task.”
(A) should
(B) have to
(C) having to
(D) haven’t to
16 “You ______ apologize for leaving early. We all know you have a busy morning tomorrow!”
(A) mustn’t
(B) shouldn’t
(C) don’t have to
(D) haven’t to
17 “______ wake up early tomorrow?” – “Yes, my flight is at 6 AM.”
(A) Have you to
(B) Must you to
(C) Are you have to
(D) Do you have to
18 “It’s getting late. ______ call a taxi, or is someone picking you up?”
(A) Should you to
(B) Do you have to
(C) Must you to
(D) Have you to
19 “I’d love to play one more game, but I ______ take my dog for a walk.”
(A) must to
(B) having to
(C) have to
(D) should
20 “You ______ drive me home. I can easily take the bus, it’s very safe.”
(A) not have to
(B) don’t have to
(C) mustn’t
(D) shouldn’t
ANSWER KEY & EXPLANATIONS
1 Key: (C) have to
Explanation: – Why it’s correct: “Have to” is used to express a strong obligation coming from outside (looking at the clock).
- Distractor Analysis: (B) is a Common Mistake (we never put “to” after “must”). (D) is a Structural Error (wrong verb agreement for “I”). (A) is a Meaning Trap (“should” is just advice, but 11 PM creates a strong necessity to leave).
2 Key: (B) have to
Explanation: – Why it’s correct: A bus schedule is a strict external fact. If you don’t leave, you miss it.
- Distractor Analysis: (C) is a Meaning Trap (“should” implies it’s a good idea, but doesn’t capture the urgency of a bus schedule). (A) is a Common Mistake (we generally don’t use “have to” in the continuous form). (D) is a Structural Error (missing “to”).
3 Key: (D) have to
Explanation: – Why it’s correct: A waiting parent is an external obligation forcing you to leave.
- Distractor Analysis: (B) is a Common Mistake (“must to” is invalid). (A) is a Structural Error (“hasn’t to” is not standard). (C) is a Meaning Trap (“might” means maybe, but the situation is urgent).
4 Key: (C) Do you have to
Explanation: – Why it’s correct: In the Present Simple, we form questions with “Do/Does + subject + have to”.
- Distractor Analysis: (A) is a Common Mistake (learners often treat “have” as an auxiliary here, but it’s a main verb). (D) is a Structural Error (statement word order). (B) is a Meaning Trap (asks for advice, not asking about the external necessity).
5 Key: (C) have to
Explanation: – Why it’s correct: Work schedules are external rules you cannot change.
- Distractor Analysis: (B) is a Meaning Trap (“should” is too weak for a work schedule). (A) is a Structural Error (missing “am” and “have to” is rarely continuous). (D) is a Structural Error (“has to” is for he/she/it).
6 Key: (B) don’t have to
Explanation: – Why it’s correct: “Don’t have to” means there is NO obligation (it is not necessary to leave).
- Distractor Analysis: (A) is a Common Mistake (“mustn’t” means it is prohibited/forbidden, which is totally wrong here). (D) is a Structural Error. (C) is a Meaning Trap (gives advice, but misses the core meaning: “the rule is gone”).
7 Key: (C) have to
Explanation: – Why it’s correct: After the auxiliary “does”, the main verb must be in the base form (“have to”).
- Distractor Analysis: (B) is a Common Mistake (learners often double the third-person ‘s’: “does she has”). (A) is a Structural Error (you cannot use “must” with “does”). (D) is a Meaning Trap.
8 Key: (D) have to
Explanation: – Why it’s correct: A school deadline is an external rule.
- Distractor Analysis: (C) is a Common Mistake (“must to”). (B) is a Structural Error (missing “to”). (A) is a Meaning Trap (too weak for a strict deadline).
9 Key: (A) have to
Explanation: – Why it’s correct: Polite way to decline an offer by stating an external necessity (the train).
- Distractor Analysis: (C) is a Structural Error. (B) is a Common Mistake. (D) is a Meaning Trap.
10 Key: (C) have to
Explanation: – Why it’s correct: States a necessary condition to catch the train.
- Distractor Analysis: (A) is a Meaning Trap (completely opposite meaning). (D) is a Common Mistake. (B) is a Structural Error (wrong agreement).
11 Key: (D) doesn’t have to
Explanation: – Why it’s correct: Removes the obligation for Mark to wake up early.
- Distractor Analysis: (A) is a Common Mistake (“mustn’t” means it is a rule that he CANNOT wake up early, which is silly). (C) is a Structural Error (“don’t” is wrong for Mark). (B) is a Structural Error.
12 Key: (B) have to
Explanation: – Why it’s correct: Dormitory rules are external obligations.
- Distractor Analysis: (C) is a Meaning Trap (implies it’s a good idea, not a strict rule). (A) is a Common Mistake. (D) is a Structural Error.
13 Key: (D) have to
Explanation: – Why it’s correct: Asking if there is a necessity/rule for you to clean.
- Distractor Analysis: (B) is a Structural Error (you cannot use “must” after “Do”). (A) is a Common Mistake (“should to”). (C) is a Structural Error.
14 Key: (A) have to
Explanation: – Why it’s correct: “Parents” is plural, taking “have to”. It’s a strict external schedule.
- Distractor Analysis: (B) is a Structural Error (“has” is singular). (C) is a Meaning Trap. (D) is a Common Mistake.
15 Key: (B) have to
Explanation: – Why it’s correct: An urgent email from a boss is an external force making you leave.
- Distractor Analysis: (A) is a Meaning Trap. (D) is a Structural Error. (C) is a Structural Error.
16 Key: (C) don’t have to
Explanation: – Why it’s correct: Means “It is not necessary for you to apologize.”
- Distractor Analysis: (A) is a Common Mistake (“mustn’t” means “I forbid you to apologize”). (D) is a Meaning Trap. (C) is a Structural Error.
17 Key: (D) Do you have to
Explanation: – Why it’s correct: Correct question format for “have to”.
- Distractor Analysis: (A) is a Common Mistake. (B) is a Common Mistake (“must to”). (C) is a Structural Error.
18 Key: (B) Do you have to
Explanation: – Why it’s correct: Asks about the necessity of calling a taxi.
- Distractor Analysis: (D) is a Common Mistake. (A) is a Structural Error (“should to”). (C) is a Structural Error.
19 Key: (C) have to
Explanation: – Why it’s correct: The dog needing a walk is an external responsibility.
- Distractor Analysis: (A) is a Common Mistake (“must to”). (D) is a Structural Error. (B) is a Meaning Trap.
20 Key: (B) don’t have to
Explanation: – Why it’s correct: Relieves the host of the obligation to drive you. “It is not necessary.”
- Distractor Analysis: (C) is a Common Mistake (“mustn’t” means “You are forbidden from driving me”). (D) is a Meaning Trap. (A) is a Structural Error.
GRAMMAR POINTS TO REMEMBER
- Have to vs. Must (The Reason): – We use Have to when the obligation comes from the outside (schedules, rules, bosses, parents, buses). When you leave a party, saying “I have to go” is polite because it means “I want to stay, but the clock/my mom is forcing me to leave!”
- We use Must when the feeling comes from inside the speaker (“I must buy her a gift, I love her so much!”). Note: Never put “to” after “must”.
- Have to vs. Should: – Use Should for advice (“You should drink some water”).
- Use Have to for rules and necessities. If you miss the bus, it’s a problem, so you have to catch it.
- Don’t have to vs. Mustn’t (Careful!):
- Don’t have to means it is not necessary. You can do it if you want, but you are not forced. (“You don’t have to drive me” = I can take the bus).
- Mustn’t means prohibition or forbidden. (“You mustn’t drive” = You drank alcohol, it is illegal).
- Questions and Negatives:
- Always treat “have to” like a normal verb. Use Do/Does/Don’t/Doesn’t.
- Right: Do you have to go? / I don’t have to go.
- Wrong: Have you to go? / I haven’t to go.