FCE - READY FOR FIRST - CHART

1. OBLIGATION LACK OF PERMISSION/ PROHIBITION
LACK OF OBLIGATION
OR NECESSITY
NECESSITY PERMISSION
MUST (present)
HAD TO (past)
- Internal obligations or coming from
the speaker’s authority
- Strong advice
- Rules and laws in signs and notices
MUSTN’T (present)
HAVE TO (present)
HAD TO (past)
- External obligations (Imposed)
DON’T HAVE TO (present)
DIDN’T HAVE TO (past)
SHOULD
OUGHT TO
- Obligations
- Give advice
DON’T NEED TO (present)
NEEDN’T (present)
DIDN’T NEED TO (past)
NEED TO (present)
NEEDED TO (past)
BE SUPPOSED TO
What is expected as per a rule
HAD BETTER
Warning of possible negative consequence
MAKE SBDY DO STHG (present)
MADE SBDY DO STHG (past)
IS/ARE MADE TO DO STHG (present)
WAS/WERE MADE TO DO STHG (past)
CAN’T (present)
COULDN’T (past)
CAN (present)
COULD (past)
DON’T LET SBDY DO STHG (present)
DIDN’T LET SBDY DO STHG (past)
LET SBDY DO STHG (present and past)
DON’T ALLOW SBDY TO DO STHG (present)
DIDN’T ALLOW SBDY TO DO STHG (past)
ALLOW SBDY TO DO STHG (present)
ALLOWED SBDY TO DO STHG (past)
ISN’T/AREN’T ALLOWED TO DO STHG (present)
WASN’T/WEREN’T ALLOWED TO DO STHG (past)
IS/ARE ALLOWED TO DO STHG (present)
WAS/WERE ALLOWED TO DO STHG
(past)