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Hans51 Posted 12 years ago
Grammar

Usage of 'had to'

Although I had to say that, I didn't.
I thought I had to follow it, but it was not true, so I didn't.

(These sentences are okay to use?)

I have learned that the action of verbs in "had to V" is realized but in those examples, the actions, to say that and to follow it were not realized, right?

So my question is that verbs used with have to or had to are always realized?

I hope you can understand my question and if you don't mind you can use your own examples.

Thank you and happy new year!
  

Top answer

"had to" in itself always (as far as I can think) implies that the verb was realised. "Although I had to say that, I didn't" is therefore illogical. "I thought I had to follow it, but it was not true, so I didn't" is more acceptable because the non-realisation stems from the fact that you thought wrongly, not from any uncertainty in "had to".

— GPY

  • "had to" in itself always (as far as I can think) implies that the verb was realised.
  • "Although I had to say that, I didn't" is therefore illogical.
  • "I thought I had to follow it, but it was not true, so I didn't" is more acceptable because the non-realisation stems from the fact that you thought wrongly, not from any uncertainty in "had to".
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5 Answers
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"had to" in itself always (as far as I can think) implies that the verb was realised. "Although I had to say that, I didn't" is therefore illogical. "I thought I had to follow it, but it was not true, so I didn't" is more acceptable because the non-realisation stems from the fact that you thought wrongly, not from any uncertainty in "had to".
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Thank you so much and then is this sentence wrong, "I had to go there, but I didn't" and should it be "I should have gone there? What do you think?

Thank you again.
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Right, "I had to go there, but I didn't" seems like a contradiction. "I should have gone there, but I didn't" is OK.
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I got a great answer. Thank you and then if I change didn't to couldn't like I had to go there but I couldn't, do you still say this is wrong? This is the last for this question
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Hans51I had to go there but I couldn't
Again, it seems contradictory. I wouldn't say that such seemingly contradictory sentences are flat out impossible. It may be sometimes that a writer deliberately wants to give a contradictory impression for effect. However, in normal circumstances you would say it another way (such as using "should have", as previo
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