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Phuong Thao
What's the difference between "be supposed to..." and "have to..."?
Hi, guys
I really don't know how to use exactly "be supposed to..." and "have to..." or "must..." .
Please explain me about their usage as well as situation with the example sentences.
Thank you!!!
For example:
.....
Asako : Well, you "have to" know what "you are supposed to" do, but yeah.
Todd : Well, what do you do?
Asako : You "have to" be really careful with that, and also you "have to" know how "you are supposed to" act when you actually meet a bear when you are hiking, but if you have the right knowledge, you should be OK.
Todd : Wow! So what do you they tell you to do if you see a bear?
Asako : Well, "you're supposed to" wave your hands.
......
Asako : I was in a car, so i didn't have any problems, so I really don' t know what "I am supposed to" do when I meet wolves.
(http://www.elllo.org/english/0801/T809-Asako-Bears.htm)
Mar 25, 2016 10:55 AM
Answers · 4
3
'Have to' means that it is necessary for you to do this.
'Supposed to' means that you are expected to do this.
For example, you might say this:
'I'm supposed to stay at work until 5 pm, but I have to go home now. I feel really ill.'
You are 'supposed to' stay until 5 pm because this is what is expected of you, what you have been told to do, or what it says on your contract. This form is often used as a contrast to a different fact, about what you want or have to do. In this case, even though you are supposed to work until 5 pm, you have to/need go home now because you feel too ill to work.
'Must' has a similar meaning to 'have to', but it is less common. It's often used as a stronger form of 'I think you/I/we should...'.
In fact, in spoken English, the commonest use of 'must' is to indicate certainty, as in 'You must be exhausted'.
March 25, 2016
1
"Be supposed to" has the meaning of "should", as in "be expected to".
I think you already understand the concept of "have to". :)
March 25, 2016
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Phuong Thao
Language Skills
English, Korean, Vietnamese
Learning Language
Korean
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