Certainty

The following modals in the table are used to express how sure someone is about something (also known as "certainty.")

  • must
  • have to
  • have got to
  • may
  • might
  • can't
  • couldn't
  • should
  • ought to

When the speaker is almost certain

  • must
  • have to
  • have got to

Must is used when you are almost sure about something that you are thinking about. Have to and have got to are also used and mean the same thing as must.

cat and water

Cats must be scared of liquids such as water.

watching tv

They must have felt too tired at the end of the day to do anything besides watch TV.

Sherlock Holmes

It's got to have something to do with that film, Sherlock Holmes.

  • can't
  • can't have
  • couldn't
  • couldn't have

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Exercises

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