This document discusses obligation and permission in English grammar. It provides the positive, negative, and question forms for expressing obligation with must, have/has to, have/has got to, and permission with can, be allowed to, should, and may. It explains how these terms are used and provides examples. The document also includes exercises for practicing obligation and permission.

1. OBLIGATION
AND
PERMISSION

2. OBLIGATION AND PERMISSION
Obligation and Permission
Positive Form Negative Form Question Form
Must Mustn’t
Have/Has To Don’t Have To Do/Does + Pronoun +
Have/Has To + Verb?
Have/Has Got To Haven’t/Hasn’t Got To Have/Has + Pronoun + Got
To + Verb
Can Can’t Can + Pronoun + Verb?
Be Allowed To Be Not Allowed To Verb To Be + Pronoun +
Allowed To + Verb?
Should Shouldn’t Should + Pronoun + Verb?

3. OBLIGATION AND PERMISSION
Obligation and Permission
Present Form Past Form
Must/Have To/Have Got To Had To
Don’t Have To Didn’t Have To
Can/Can't Could/Couldn't
Is-Are-Am Allowed To/Not
Allowed To/Mustn't
Were/Weren't Allowed To

4. OBLIGATION AND PERMISSION
• We use must, have to and have got to + infinitive verb to:
I. Talk about something that is necessary or important.
We must be at the airport by seven.
He has to take medicine every day.
I have got to find a telephone, it's urgent.

5. NOTE
• The meaning is very similar, but must often shows that the
obligation comes from the person who is speaking
(personal obligation/opinion). Have to and have got to
shows that the obligation comes from another person, not
the speaker (rules, law or agreement or etc.):
We must be very careful.
In English schools, you have to wear a uniform.
• Must is rarely used in questions:
 Must I/Do I have to sign here?.

6. OBLIGATION AND PERMISSION
• We use don't have to and haven't got to + infinitive verb:
I. Talk about something that is not necessary.
People don't have to vote if they don't want to.
We haven't got to be there till ten.

7. OBLIGATION AND PERMISSION
• We use can and be allowed to + infinitive verb to:
I. Talk about something that is permitted to do, we use can
also with ability in present or future.
You can park here after five o'clock.
My brother's allowed to borrow my father's car.
I can see you at 3 pm tomorrow, can you manage that?

8. OBLIGATION AND PERMISSION
• We use mustn't, can't and not allowed to + infinitive verb to:
I. Talk about something that is not permitted to do (forbidden).
The audience mustn't take photos during the performance.
You can't smoke here.
You are not allowed to park here.

9. OBLIGATION AND PERMISSION
• We use should and ought to to:
I. Say something is a good idea or to give advice, we can use
must for advice but it has to be for strong advice.
You should try this ice cream, it's delicious.
you should do more work if you need to get promoted.
You shouldn't say that to her.
You ought to be more careful.
It's a great film, you must see it.
You must go to Petra, if you are in Jordan.

10. OBLIGATION AND PERMISSION
• We use may to:
I. Asking for permission, or to indicate a strong possibility in the
present or in the future.
May I use your pen?
It may happen again.

11. OBLIGATION AND PERMISSION
• We use might to:
I. Indicate a possibility in the present or in the future but its
slightly weaker than may, or to indicate a possibility in the past
followed by have done.
It might happen again.
He might have missed his train.

12. EXERCISE 1
• Complete the gaps.
1. You ----- to leave your keys at reception when you go out of the hotel.
2. I think people ----- spend more time with their families and less time at work.
3. Passengers ----- to walk around the plane when it is taking off.
4. Candidates ----- to take a dictionary into the exam.
5. You ----- buy alcohol in a pub unless you're over 18.
6. You look really tired. I think you ----- to take a day off.
7. Monday's a holiday so we ----- to go to school until Tuesday.
8. You ----- sign your name in this book when you enter or leave the building.
9. You ----- ride a bicycle on the motorway - it’s very dangerous.

13. EXERCISE 1 SOLUTION
1. (have)
2. (should)
3. (aren’t allowed)
4. (are allowed)
5. (can’t)
6. (ought)
7. (don’t have)
8. (must)
9. (mustn’t)