Study the rules, look at the examples, then do the exercises.
Every day we talk about what is necessary, what is forbidden, and what is a good idea. To do this in English we use a special group of small verbs called modals: must, have to, mustn't, should, ought to, had better. They never change for the subject (no -s), and most of them are followed by the bare infinitive — the verb with no to (must go, not must to go).
In this unit you will learn three things: how to express obligation (something is necessary), how to express prohibition and no obligation (the famous mustn't vs don't have to trap), and how to give advice. You will also see how to talk about a past obligation with had to.
Both must and have to say that something is necessary. The form is different: must is a modal (always the same, + bare infinitive), while have to behaves like a normal verb and uses do / does in questions and negatives.
| Positive | Negative | Question | |
|---|---|---|---|
| must | I must go. | — (see mustn't below) | Must I go? |
| have to | She has to go. | She doesn't have to go. | Does she have to go? |
This is the most important — and most tested — point in the whole unit. The two forms look similar but mean the opposite. Read this table very carefully.
| Form | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| mustn't | It is forbidden. Do NOT do it. (prohibition) | You mustn't bring your phone to school. (It is against the rules.) |
| don't have to | It is not necessary, but you can if you want. (no obligation) | You don't have to bring your phone to school. (You can, but it's your choice.) |
When something is not a rule but a good idea, we give advice. Three forms are common at B1. All are followed by the bare infinitive.
| Form | Strength | Example |
|---|---|---|
| should / shouldn't | normal advice (most common) | You should drink more water. You shouldn't eat so late. |
| ought to | the same as should, a little more formal | You ought to see a doctor. |
| had better ('d better) | strong advice or a warning about now | You 'd better leave now, or you'll be late. |
Here is a common surprise: must has no past form. When we talk about an obligation in the past, we must use had to for everybody.
| Time | Obligation | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Present / general | must / have to | Today I have to study late. |
| Past | had to | Yesterday I had to study late. |
| Past, no obligation | didn't have to | On Sunday I didn't have to study. |
These are the errors B1 students make most often with obligation and advice. Check your own writing against this list.
| Wrong ✗ | Right ✓ | Why? |
|---|---|---|
| You mustn't to run here. | You mustn't run here. | must / mustn't take the bare infinitive (no "to"). |
| The trip is free, so you mustn't pay. | The trip is free, so you don't have to pay. | no obligation, not prohibition → don't have to. |
| Yesterday I must leave early. | Yesterday I had to leave early. | past obligation → had to (must has no past). |
| You should to rest more. | You should rest more. | should + bare infinitive, no "to". |
| Does he must wear a uniform? | Does he have to wear a uniform? | use have to (with do/does) for questions. |
A new student, Kaan, asks his classmate Zeynep about the rules at their school. Read it twice and notice each obligation, prohibition, no-obligation and piece of advice.
Choose the correct answer. — 10 questions, each one is marked instantly. Questions get harder as you go.
Learn the words, then use them in your own sentences about rules in your life.
Write 8 sentences about the rules in a place you know well (your school, sports club, home or a place you visit). Use at least 8 of the words above.
Sentence starters (you can begin with these):
Değerlendirme öğretmenin tarafından yapılacak. (Your teacher will review your task.)
Read the text, then answer the questions.
Good readers prepare before they start. Before you read, think about these three questions (you do not need to write the answers):
Words to spot (from the Speaking section): rule · obligation · forbidden · strict · flexible · deadline · follow · advice
Elif started at a new school last month, and she quickly learned that every school has its own rules. On her first day, her form tutor gave her a long list of things she had to do and things she must never do.
At break time, a friendly classmate called Deniz noticed that Elif looked a little lost. 'Don't worry,' he said with a smile. 'Every new student feels the same on the first morning. There are quite a few rules here, but most of them are easy once you know them. I can explain the important ones, and you can ask me any time you forget.' Elif felt much better, because it is never nice to be the only person who does not understand what is going on. She took out her notebook and got ready to write.
Some rules were strict. Elif must wear her ID badge at all times, and she mustn't share her locker password with anyone outside her close friends. Because the school cares about online safety, she also has to keep her login details private. 'You must be careful with private information,' her tutor said, 'but you can always ask me if you are unsure.'
There were a few other strict rules as well. Students must switch off their phones during lessons, and they mustn't send messages or check social media while a teacher is speaking. If someone breaks this rule, they have to leave the phone at the office until the end of the day. Homework is taken seriously too: every project has a clear deadline, and students have to hand their work in on time. 'Our teachers are quite strict about deadlines,' Deniz warned her, 'so you had better not leave everything until the last night.' Elif wrote all of this down carefully, because she did not want to break a rule by accident in her very first week.
However, other rules were more relaxed. Elif doesn't have to wear a blazer, so she usually comes to school in a comfortable jumper. She doesn't have to arrive at exactly eight o'clock either, because the school has flexible morning hours. When she has an early club, she can start early, while on quiet mornings she can begin a little later.
There were pleasant surprises among the relaxed rules, too. In the afternoons the school runs many clubs — football, drama, art and coding — but nobody has to join them. Students can pick the activities they enjoy, so Elif signed up for the photography club straight away. The class also has its own online group where students share notices and photos, although they mustn't post anything unkind about a classmate. Everyone follows this rule carefully, because kindness matters more than any subject, and nobody wants to lose the group.
Her tutor also gave her some friendly advice. 'You should ask questions when you don't understand something,' she said. 'And you ought to take a short break every hour when you study. You had better not skip lunch, or you will feel tired by the afternoon.'
Deniz gave her some advice of his own during lunch. 'You should join at least one club,' he said, 'because that is how you make real friends here. You ought to keep a small notebook for the rules until you remember them, and you had better not sit alone every break, because people here are really friendly.' Elif thought this was kind, sensible advice, and she decided to follow it that same day.
The library had its own set of rules on a big sign by the door. Students must be quiet inside, and they mustn't bring food or fizzy drinks near the computers. They don't have to whisper all the time, but they should keep their voices low, because other students are trying to concentrate. Elif liked the library at once; it was calm and bright, and it soon became her favourite place to finish her homework before the deadline.
On Wednesday, Elif went to watch the school football club train after lessons. The coach explained that the team has its own rules as well. Players must wear the correct kit, and they mustn't shout at the referee or at their teammates. They don't have to be the best players in the school, but they do have to come to training regularly and try their hardest. 'Talent is nice,' the coach said, 'but effort and respect matter more, so every player should support the others.' Elif was not sure about football, yet she liked how fair the rules sounded.
During her first week, Elif made one small mistake. She forgot her ID badge at home on Thursday, so she had to sign a special form at the office before she could go to class. It was a little embarrassing, but the teacher was kind about it. 'Everyone forgets sometimes,' she said gently, 'but try to remember it tomorrow.' After that, Elif always put her badge in her bag the night before, and she never had to sign the form again.
By the end of the first week, the rules did not feel strange any more. Elif knew when she had to be quiet, what she mustn't do, and which things were simply her own choice. She had also made two new friends, joined the photography club, and learned the quickest way to the canteen. Rules, she realised, were not there to spoil her fun; they were there to help everyone feel safe and be treated fairly.
At first, Elif had to read the rules many times to remember them all. Although it was a lot to learn, she felt happy. She had a good feeling about the school, and she knew she had made the right choice.
Choose the correct answer.
Are these sentences true or false, according to the text?
Complete each sentence with ONE word from the text. Mind the modal form.
Write your answer in your own words. These questions are not marked automatically.
1. What is the difference between a rule with "mustn't" and a rule with "don't have to" in Elif's school? Give one example of each.
2. Why are the school's morning hours a good thing for Elif?
3. Which piece of advice from the tutor do you think is the most useful, and why?
Find these connectors in the text — each one appears at least once: and, but, so, because, when, while, however, although, also. (You will use these same connectors in the Writing section.) Note them down, then check.
Todd asks Sarah about the rules and duties of teaching English in different countries.
You will hear Todd interviewing Sarah about her experience of teaching English abroad — the dress code, the lessons, the paperwork and the help teachers get. You will listen TWICE. First listen: answer questions 1-5. Second listen: answer questions 6-10. (Kaydı İKİ kez dinleyeceksin: ilk dinlemede 1-5, ikinci dinlemede 6-10.)
Write and submit your paragraph; your teacher will review it.
A list of short, separate rules is not real writing. What connects your ideas is linking words. At A2 you used and, but, so, because. At B1 you add four more powerful connectors: also, when, while, although and however. These let you show contrast, background situations and extra information like a confident writer.
| Connector | Use it to... | Example |
|---|---|---|
| and | add information | You must wear your ID badge, and you have to be on time. |
| but | show a small contrast | The rules are strict, but they are fair. |
| so | show a result | It's the library, so you mustn't make noise. |
| because | give a reason | You have to be quiet because other students are studying. |
| also | add an extra point | You must be on time. You also have to wear a uniform. |
| when | say at what time | You should ask when you don't understand a rule. |
| while | contrast two situations | Some rules are strict, while others are flexible. |
| although | show a strong contrast | Although the rules are strict, they keep us safe. |
| however | contrast between two sentences | You must follow the rules. However, you can always ask questions. |
See the difference — the same rules, written two ways:
| Separate sentences ✗ | Connected, fluent writing ✓ |
|---|---|
| You must wear your ID badge. You mustn't be late. The uniform rules are relaxed. You don't have to wear a blazer. You should be polite. | You must wear your ID badge, and you mustn't be late. However, the uniform rules are relaxed, so you don't have to wear a blazer. Although the rules are clear, you should always be polite. |
A "rules" paragraph has three parts. The skeleton stays the same every time — you change the content, not the structure:
| Part | What to write | Example |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Opening | A general sentence about the place and its rules | My school has quite a lot of rules that every student has to follow. |
| 2. Body | The obligations (must / have to), the prohibitions (mustn't), what is not necessary (don't have to), and some advice (should). Link with connectors. | You must arrive on time, and you mustn't use your phone in class. However, you don't have to wear a uniform. |
| 3. Closing | Your opinion, or a piece of advice for a newcomer | Although some rules are strict, I think they are fair, so my advice is that you should follow them. |
Write about the rules of a place you know well (your school, sports club, gym, library or home). Use modals of obligation and advice.
Değerlendirme öğretmenin tarafından yapılacak. (Your teacher will evaluate your writing.)
Mixed questions from the whole unit, then check what you can do.
14 questions: grammar + vocabulary + reading + listening. Each question is marked instantly.
Tick what you can do now. Honest answers help your teacher.
İşaretlemediğin madde varsa ilgili bölüme dönüp tekrar çalış — soldaki menüden her bölüme geri dönebilirsin.
Oturum kontrol ediliyor...