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Anonymous Posted 14 years ago
Grammar

English

what's the difference between modal verbs "must" and "should"?
  

Top answer

'Must' implies that one is bound or obliged by an imperative requirement. EX: I must keep my word. 'Should' can mean a few different things, which can make it a bit unclear as to definition.

  • 'Must' implies that one is bound or obliged by an imperative requirement.
  • EX: I must keep my word.
  • 'Should' can mean a few different things, which can make it a bit unclear as to definition.
  • It can mean that one must, or ought, to do something; it is used to indicate duty, propriety or expediency.
  • EX: You should not do that.
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3 Answers
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'Must' implies that one is bound or obliged by an imperative requirement. EX: I must keep my word.

'Should' can mean a few different things, which can make it a bit unclear as to definition. It can mean that one must, or ought, to do something; it is used to indicate duty, propriety or expediency. EX: You should not do that.

It can also be used to express condition or used as a
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Must means have to and should means ought to.

Rover
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Must and should express two kinds of modal meaning:

First, those relating primarily to what is necessary or possible given what we know (or believe):

a. You must be exhausted. This expresses circumstantial necessity, rather than possibility. It's not a matter of obligation, but force of circumstance.

b. He must have overslept

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