Posts tagged auxiliary verbs
English Lesson: Using Need To & Must for Advice & Obligation
Jan 20th
Study Abroad in the USA!
If you want to come to the USA to study English, I have some advice for you. First of all, you should decide which city you would like to study in. Of course I think New York City is the best destination for international students, but because NYC is so popular, it is a popular destination for study abroad. So, you ought to consider a smaller city in a less popular place. In a small town, you are less likely to run into other students from your country. I think you need to carefully consider your options. You need to apply for your visa at least three to six months before you are planning to begin studying, and when you do, you must make sure you submit all of the required documents. If you don’t, you might experience a delay.
We use need to when we give advice, and must to talk about obligation. Do you know how to use these words? Have a look at the paragraph above and then check out today’s lesson:
Yesterday, we talked about using should and ought to when we give advice. We also use need to + base verb when we give advice. Need to is stronger than should and ought to. For negative sentences, in American English, we usually use don’t need to + base verb. We rarely use need not or needn’t, except in very formal conversations. Here are some examples:
- I think you need to carefully consider your options.
- You need to choose a school that has a good reputation.
- If you work with a study abroad agency, you don’t need to worry about making a mistake on your visa application. The agency will make sure everything is ok before sending the documents.
We use must when we talk about obligation. We use must + base verb in positive sentences, and must + not + base verb in negative sentences. Notice the difference in meaning in the following sentences:
- You must have a student visa to be a full time student in the USA. Using must means you have no choice. If you do not have a student visa, you cannot be a full time student in the USA.
- You need to apply for your visa at least three to six months before you are planning to begin studying. Using need to means it is a strong suggestion to apply for a student visa at least three to six months before the date you plan to begin studies. However, this is only a strong suggestion, and it is not mandatory for you to do so.
Here are some other examples using must. All of these things are obligatory:
- You must have a valid passport and your school’s I-20 form when you apply for a student visa.
- You must sign the bottom of your I-20 form before submitting it with your visa application.
- You must present your passport and I-20 form to the immigration officer when you enter the USA.
It seems like a lot of work to get a student visa, but you don’t need to worry. As long as you have all of the correct paperwork, the visa application process should go smoothly. Thanks for studying with me today!
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- How to USE the phrasal verb.
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- A PRACTICE question to give you the chance to use the phrasal verb.
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English Lesson: Using Should & Ought to for Advice
Jan 20th
I saw my friend Pete there other day. He looked really tired. He told me that he had been working a lot of overtime and because of that, he’s hasn’t been eating right. I told him he should be careful. I think he ought to try to bring his lunch from home, this way he can avoid eating fast food every day. Even if you get really busy, you shouldn’t end up eating junk food.
When you give someone advice, you can use should and ought to. Do you know how to use these words? Have a look at the paragraph above and then check out today’s lesson:
We use should when we give advice. The structure is should + base verb. In a negative sentence, the structure is should not + base verb, and we usually use shouldn’t + base verb. Check these examples:
- I told him he should be careful.
- You should look both ways before crossing the street.
- Even if you get really busy, you shouldn’t end up eating junk food.
We also use ought to when we give advice. The structure is ought to + base verb. In American English, we generally pronounce ought to as “awdda.” Important! We don’t use ought to in a negative sentence. Check these examples:
- I think he ought to try to bring his lunch from home.
- You ought to listen to classical music if you want to relax.
- If you want to lose weight, you ought to cut out snacks and junk food.
Happy (my dog) just started barking. I ought to check on her. If you have any advice on how to keep a dog from barking, please let me know. Thanks for studying today!
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Including…
- The DEFINITION of each phrasal verb.
- How to USE the phrasal verb.
- The STRUCTURE showing the grammar pattern of the phrasal verb.
- EXAMPLE sentences to see how the phrasal verb is used in context.
- A PRACTICE question to give you the chance to use the phrasal verb.
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Would you like a FREE 15-page sample? Click here for more information.
English Lesson: Should Vs Must
Jun 24th
I like coffee, maybe a little too much. I think I should cut down on coffee. My dad used to say that for a healthy life, you should eat and drink in moderation. In other words, you shouldn’t have too much of any one thing. I should have listened to his advice. What do you think I should do? Do you think I must follow my doctor’s advice?
Today we will look at how to use should and must. Do you know how to use these words? Take a look at the paragraph above and then check out today’s lesson:
Should is an auxiliary verb and usually comes before the main verb in the sentence. Should is used to show obligation. Must is also an auxiliary verb, but it is much stronger than should and is often used for orders.
Compare the following sentences:
- My doctor said that I should cut down on coffee. My doctor gave me a strong suggestion.
- My doctor said that I must cut down on coffee. My doctor gave me an order.
- You shouldn’t use a cell phone on the train. This shows your obligation not to use the phone.
- You mustn’t use a cell phone on the train. Maybe there is a regulation prohibiting cell phone use.
- You shouldn’t smoke in public places in New York. Not smoking in public is a social obligation
- You mustn’t smoke in public places in New York. Smoking in public is prohibited by law.
Should is used to show probability, but must is not used this way:
- The meeting should be finished by 2:00. Not, the meeting must be finished…
- The flight should arrive on time. Not, the flight must arrive…
Must is used to show something is sure or certain.
- The train must be running late. I’m sure the train is running late
- You worked until 10 last night! You must be tired. I’m sure you are tired.
Should is used with the past participle (pp) to show what was supposed to happen, but it didn’t:
- The meeting should have finished by 2:00. But, the meeting didn’t finish by 2:00.
- I should have called before I left the house. But I didn’t call before I left the house.
Must is also used with the past participle (pp) when we want to show certainty about the past
- The meeting must have finished by 2:00. I’m sure it finished by 2:00.
- I must have left my wallet at home. I’m sure I left my wallet at home.
Well, I should stop for today. You must be tired from studying so hard. I hope you enjoyed today’s lesson…see you next time!
