must
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[modal verb] (1) to express obligation,
necessity, or strong recommendation: I
really must get a new computer. • You
must try this restaurant: it’s fantastic. • Let
me do the dishes.~ No, you’re ill.
You mustn’t.
(2) to make deductions: That
must be Tom’s
jacket. • They’re late: they
must have got lost • It must be raining:
everyone’s wet.
[noun]: something that it is necessary to
do or have: A sunhat is an absolute must
on the beach.
⇒ had
Note: The contraction of must + not is mustn’t.
↓ Grammar patterns | Collocations | Set Phrases ↓
Grammar patterns:
1 must | + bare infinitive
I must get a haircut.
You must pay more attention.
The government must act now.
♦ to say what the speaker thinks is necessary
You must see Shrek 2: it’s hilarious.
We must eat here again.
♦ to make a strong recommendation
There’s the phone. ~ That must
be Derek. He always phones around now.
The clock stopped. ~ It must need new batteries.
♦ to make strong deductions about present or future situations
2 must | + have | + past participle
Why wasn’t Peter at the meeting?
~ He must have forgotten.
It must have been 1998 when I last saw Jeremy.
♦ to make strong deductions about past situations
3 must | + be | + -ing
The lights are out. The film must be starting.
Look at the birds: they must be migrating.
♦ to make strong deductions about
present situations that are in progress
4 must | + n’t/not | + verb
You mustn’t tell anyone I told
you.
The children mustn’t play near the
road.
♦ to say what is prohibited or what should not happen
Collocations:
Must is often made more emphatic with really:
You really must get more exercise.
I really must do something about that door.
Must often goes with verbs like go, rush, dash, fly:
I’m sorry, it’s
late. I must dash.
Look at the time. I must be going
Set phrases:
• ‘I must say … ’
They’ve got some nice things in
this shop, I must say.
I must say I thought their flat was a bit
untidy.
♦ to
emphasize what you are saying.
• ‘if you must […]’
I’m just going over to Terry’s
place. ~ Well, if you must.
If you must smoke, can you smoke on the balcony?
To give permission for something you don’t
agree with.
• ‘if you must know’
How much did you pay the hairdresser? ~ $50, if you must know.
♦ to
indicate that someone is being too curious.
• ‘you must be joking’
The flight has been cancelled. ~ You must be joking.
♦ to express disbelief.
