Indicating obligation and willingness
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Using semi-modal verbs to indicate obligation | page 3 of 5 |
Indicating strong obligation
With strong obligation, the person referred to (often the hearer) has little or no choice. This can be glossed as necessity.
Here is a list of semi-modals which are typically used to indicate necessity:
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In the following examples, the circumstances of the situation dictate the necessary action:
You have to answer four questions. (Bank of English)
You've got to have some order in a disordered world. (Frank Lloyd Wright)
You gotta move. You gotta jump. You can't just stand there and listen to it, you gotta do something about it. (SCMP 11/11/92)
Passengers need to show a boarding pass for admission. (SCMP 19/3/94)
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Introduction
Indicating strong obligation
