Photo by Meisam Saeb
Greetings English Learners!
Do you remember when you first learned the meaning of ‘must’?
Must = Rules and Obligation.
You must obey the road rules!
You must not be late!
Doctor: You must take two pills with food daily for a week!
How often have you heard people speak like this? Not sure? Can’t recall? Well, guess what? This is not how native English speakers usually speak! It’s frustrating that some English language text books only teach ‘must’ as rules and obligations. Urrrg!!
Photo by Julien L
Of course, ‘must’ is used for Rules and Obligation, but almost always in written academic form, rarely in conversation.
(Click here if you are interested in reading examples from written academic texts: law, philosophy, health, politics, sociology etc. Please be patient. It takes a few seconds for the Concordancer to load. It’s worth the wait.)
We sometimes use ‘must’ when we are speaking aloud to ourselves, reminding ourselves of obligations, rules, duties, or things that are important to remember:
I really must stop speeding.
I mustn’t be late for the meeting tomorrow.
I must remember to take these pills with meals.
Meanwhile, ‘must’ is rarely used when giving instructions or making requests. Why do we speak to ourselves in this way? Well, most likely, someone has said something, or we have read a notice like:
Notice: Speed limit 60kph
Passenger: Please slow down! You’re making me nervous!
Notice: Staff Meeting 8:30am this Wednesday
Boss: Don’t be late!
Doctor: Take these pills once a day for a week. Remember to take them with meals.
** Check out the WATER PARK RULES notice in the photo above. This is a typical type of sign which spells out the rules and clearly states what is prohibited. Can you see the word ‘must’? … No? We don’t even use ‘must’ in signs!
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So, how then is this word usually used?
Must is used in speaking to indicate the belief of the speaker, the deduction and the conclusion that something is true. Consider the following examples of ‘must’ for deduction and belief:
Photo by Luis Covarrubias
(Lunchtime at the office and I can’t find my lunch):
Conversation #1
Oh no! Where is my lunch? I packed it this morning before I left home. I distinctly remember toasting the bread.
I must have left it at home!
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Conversation #2
John: So, you finally tried Acupuncture. How do you feel?
Rosa: Well, there must be something in it because I feel so relaxed!
John: Do you think you’ll go back for more?
Rosa: Definitely! The Acupuncturist suggested two treatments a week for four weeks. I mustn’t forget to book the appointments.
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Conversation #3. Paul Maina has just won the Marathon. He must be exhausted! He must feel so excited! He must have done years of training!
Photo by Pietro Rampazzo
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Conversation #4.
Anthony: I’m so sorry to hear that your dog was hit and killed by a car.
Rebecca: Thank you. He was my best friend!
Anthony: You must miss him terribly.
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Can you hear the people in the above conversations? Can you hear them saying what they believe to be true? It doesn’t matter if they are wrong. They are simply stating what they are almost 100% sure is true.
In Conversation #1, perhaps the lunch is in the car or it has fallen under the desk?
Compare:
Deduction/Belief: I must have left it at home!
Fact? – Yes. It’s at home on the kitchen bench.
OR
Fact? – It’s in the car.
Acupuncture
In Conversation #2, perhaps Rosa desperately wanted to believe that Acupuncture would work because friends had highly recommended it and she was in constant pain.
Compare:
Deduction/Belief: there must be something in it because I feel so relaxed!
Fact? – Acupuncture is a form of Chinese medicine which has a high success rate.
In Conversation #3, the spectator thinks he understands how the athlete feels.
Compare:
Deduction/Belief: He must be exhausted! He must feel so excited! He must have done years of training!
Facts? – He is exhausted. He is not excited, just relieved that it’s all over. He trained for just six months for this marathon.
OR
Facts? – He is a supreme athlete and is not exhausted. He is excited that he won. He trained for just six months for this marathon.
In Conversation #4, Anthony tries to be sympathetic.
Compare:
Photo by Tamara Bellis
Deduction/Belief: Anthony believes that Rebecca misses her pet: You must miss him terribly.
Fact? – Rebecca misses him terribly.
OR
Fact? – Rebecca still misses her dead dog but she has a new puppy which occupies all her time and emotions.
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We also have set expressions (collocations) in English using ‘must’ for added emphasis:
I must admit that I was surprised you got the job after turning up late for the interview!
I must say that our daughter’s new teacher is rather peculiar.
You must be joking if you expect me to do the cooking as well as all the cleaning!
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Did you know that ‘must’ can also be a noun? Have you ever heard of something being ‘a must’? Well, in English, ‘a must’ is a necessity. However, ‘a must’ is so much stronger than ‘a necessity’:
- Gardening advice: Spring is upon us and it’s time to get planting. Herbs are a must for the health-conscious.
- Home Decor: Is your home in need of a freshen-up? Start in the bedrooms. Fresh new sheets and pillowslips are an absolute must. Next, the bathroom: a thorough clean and new towels are a must.
Sicily
- Travel guide:
If you are heading to Italy, don’t miss Sicily. Taormina is a must, especially if you want to see Mount Etna. The town is known for the Teatro Antico di Taormina, an ancient Greco-Roman theatre still used today. Another must is the Duomo di Taormina a Medieval cathedral with Roman-Gothic architecture, featuring a Latin cross layout, pink marble nave, revered Byzantine Madonna, and historic manger. Quiet ambiance with free entry.
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This brings me to more uses of ‘must’ as a noun: a must-see, a must-have, a must-do, a must + …
- Cruise advertisement: Book in the next 48 hours and you’ll save over 65% on must-haves like Wi-Fi and drinks.
- Travel advice: While in Sicily, don’t forget to book a day trip to Mount Etna. It’s a once in a lifetime must-see.
- Travel advice: Even though kissing the Blarney Stone in Ireland is a must-do for tourists, I wouldn’t recommend it.
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Modal Must Structure:
As always, modals are followed by a Base Infinitive (i.e. Infinitive without ‘to’).
To express the Present, use ‘must’ + Base Infinitive: You must be tired. (now)
To express the Past use ‘must’ + have + Past Participle: You must have been tired. (past)
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Here are three fabulous songs featuring the use of ‘must’ for deduction and belief. Enjoy!
Song #1: It must be Love by Madness.
Click here for the official video. Click here for the lyrics video.
Song #2: It must have been Love by Roxette. (from the movie Pretty Woman)
Click here for the official video. Click here for the lyrics video.
Song #3: The Day Before You Came by Abba.
Click here for the official video. Click here for the lyrics video.
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