Have to vs. must?

[Alma]

Test No. incompl/elem-7 "Modals", question 3

I ......... go now because I am already late for my class.

(a) must
(b) have
(c) have to

Test No. incompl/elem-7 "Modals", answer 3

I have to go now because I am already late for my class.

Correct answer: (c) have to

Your answer was: incorrect
I must go now because I am already late for my class.
_________________________

why this question cannot use the word 'must'?

Alma

[Alan]

Good question! The difference is that must is a little too strong in this context and have to is better here because it suggests I have no alternative.
_________________
English as a Second Language
You can read my ESL story Word Story: Search Engines

[Alex Anna]

When I did this test, my answer was 'must', then I received my score "correct". May be that an error in the test?
Thanks Alan for your explanation!!

[Tamara]

[Canadian45]

I feel that there is no difference in meaning between "must" and "have to".

Some people argue that one is stronger than the other or that one is for when referring to yourself and the other is for when referring to other people, but I am not convinced. To me, both mean "I have no alternative." "Have to" is much more commonly used in North America. Maybe one can say that "must" is more formal.

[Yankee]

[Canadian45]

Amy
1...What is the difference in meaning? (I am only talking about their function as auxiliary verbs.)
2...How are you making them negative? Must not is not the only negative meaning of must. The negative meaning of the test sentence would be I (don't have to) (need not) go now ........... not late for class.

In a different sentence, both negatives would again have the same meaning. You must not think of it that way. You have to not think of it that way."

That's the way I see it.

[Yankee]

[Mister Micawber]

.
My two cents again: I'm glad that the answers were amended to avoid the have to / must choice here. I agree (with someone above?) that they are often distinct in use, but also very often they are interchanged nowadays, especially in generalized contexts. When I mouth them, I am often tongue-tied as to which to choose as more natural-- as in the present case.

I have to go now-- I really must!
.
_________________
Native English teacher at Mister Micawber's

[Alan]

Hi,

For the record I have now edited out (I hope) the mistake in the test so that 'have to' appears as an option and is regarded as the correct choice.

A
_________________
English as a Foreign Language
You can read my EFL story Progressive Forms

[Yankee]

[Yankee]

[Alan]

Hi Amy,

Thanks for that. I have received an automated reply saying it's being changed but it takes a certain time to percolate through. It's rather like paying in a cheque in a UK bank!

A
_________________
English as a Second Language
You can read my ESL story If you vote

[Canadian45]

Hi Amy
A few things....

1...You will notice that I edited my post 2 minutes after your reply and what I did was change the underlining to isolate must and have to from not. I hadn't read your post before editing mine.

2..Speaking of your post, this is not the first time you have missed or ignored the point of what I said. If you read my post carefully, you will be quite aware of the fact that I know that must not and does not have to have different meanings. The point is that the negative meaning of the test question is not must not; it is do not have to.

3...Regarding your following post, the affirmative pair has two meanings in common. The first common meaning is 'you are not aware of that but you (have to) (must) become aware of that'.
The second common meaning is 'you say you are not aware of that but I don't believe you'.

The negative pairs are irrelevant, but I already said that 'negative must' has two different meanings, must not and need not. (need not=don't have to).

4...Going back to the test question affirmative form, I remain unconvinced that the two have any difference in meaning.

[Yankee]