MODEL VERBS

A - MODEL VERBS OF ADVICE & OBLIGATION:

Should/ must/ have to/ can/ could/ will/ would/ may/ might/ shall/ ought to… + infinitive

Present Positive Negative

have to / don’t have to

strong obligation (possibly from outside)

Children have to go to school.(sometimes ‘have got to’)

no obligation

don't have = You don't need to do something, but it's fine if you want to do it: I don’t have to work on Sundays. You don’t have to eat anything you

don’t like.

must / mustn’t strong obligation (possibly based on the speaker’s opinion) I must study today.

negative obligationmustn’t = It's not allowed, or it's a bad idea. You mustn’t smoke here.

should / shouldn’t mild obligation or adviceYou should = I think it is a good idea for you to do it. You should save some money. You look tired. I think you should

take a few days off. Alice works very long hours. She

should talk to her boss.

mild negative obligation or adviceYou shouldn't = I think it is a bad idea for you to do it. You shouldn’t smoke so much. I have an English test tomorrow.

=> I shouldn't worry if I were you. You have worked really hard.

B - SOME USEFUL ADVICE STRUCTURES:

1) You should / shouldn’t + do sth

Ex: You look tired. You should go home and take a rest.

You shouldn’t work so hard.

2) You ought to / ought not to (oughtn’t to) + do sth

Ex: You ought to drink lots of water.

You oughtn't to eat fruit unless it’s peeled.

3) You had better (or ’d better) / had better not (or ’d better not) + do sth

Ex: It's getting dark. We’d better go back now.

You’d better not accept them.

4) You have to / You’ve got to / You don’t have to + do sth

Ex: It’s late. I think you’d better go to bed now. Remember you’ve got to get up early tomorrow.

5) You could / couldn’t + do sth

Ex: You could ask Peter if he wanted to come.

6) You can / can’t + do sth

Ex: You can ask Peter if he wants to come.

7) You might / may (want to) + do sth

Ex: You might (want to) try the cheesecake.

You may go now", "You might go now if you feel like it.

8) Have you considered + doing sth?

Ex: Have you considered moving to Hanoi (yet)?

9) Have you thought of + doing sth?

Ex: Have you thought of studying Chinese (yet)?

10) Have you tried + doing sth?

Ex: Have you tried phoning her home phone?

11) How about + doing sth?

Ex: How about going by bus to save money?

12) Why don’t you + do sth?

Ex: Why don’t you try this cake?

13) It’s a good / bad idea + to do sth

Ex: It’s a good idea to bring an umbrella in case it rains.

It’s a bad idea to go to Vung Tau at this time of year.

14) It’s wise / unwise+ to do sth

Ex: It’s wise / unwise to tell you mother about this problem.

15) It’s important (for somebody) + to do sth

Ex: It’s important for you to get up early tomorrow.

16) Don’t forget to + do sth

Ex: Don’t forget to give tips to the waiters.

NOTE:

Should and ought to have the same meaning.Ex: You should (or ought to) call your friend to thank her. You shouldn't (or oughtn't to) tell lies.Had better (or 'd better) has also the same meaning, but it's stronger.

Ex: It's raining. You'd better take your umbrella. I have a very important meeting at 8. I had better not be late.