Must vs Have to vs Had Better

Must, have to and had better are modal verbs.

In this lesson, you’ll learn the difference between them and practise using them.

When to use must, have to and had better?

Must

Expresses obligation or necessity.
Must is usually used for personal requirements. E.g. I must call my mum tonight.
Only use must in the present form.

Have to

Expresses obligation or necessity.
Have to is usually used for external rules. E.g. I have to be at work at 9am tomorrow morning.
Use have to for all tense forms.

Had Better

Expresses very strong advice.
Had better is used when there is a risk of consequence. E.g. You had better not be late.
Had better is not the past tense, it is a modal verb to give advice.

1. You must eat less sweets.

2. I have to wear a shirt and tie at work.

3. You had better finish that project, or you’re fired.

Fill the gaps with the correct modal verbs.

Ready for more?

The Ace English Club gives you structured British English learning with:

Your feedback helps us improve our free resources and helps other learners discover Ace English.

Review us on: