The Language of Dilemmas

Welcome to Lesson 5 in Activity Week - Dilemmas.

The content of this lesson is linked to the podcast you listened to in the last lesson:

Understanding Grammar - What would you do?

In lesson four, Jack and Rich spoke about dilemmas on and off the football pitch. In this lesson, we’re going to look more at the language you need to talk about dilemmas. The lesson focuses on the use of 'should' and ‘would’.

Doing the right thing

What do we mean when we talk about doing the right thing? Sometimes, we mean obeying the law or the rules of a game. Sometimes, we talk about the consequences and doing the right thing means doing what will produce the best results and sometimes we talk about a moral sense - doing what we feel is right.

Using Modal Verbs

We use modal verbs to say what the right thing is. The three most commonly used modal verbs are should, must and the phrases have to and ought to. There are lots of other words and phrases that are useful when talking about dilemmas. In the first part of this page, we will look at the differences between the modal verbs and phrases. In the second part, there is some information about other useful words and phrases.

Advice

Should

You can use should in many different ways. Take a look at these examples:

You should visit Manchester. = I think you will like it if you visit Manchester.

You should sell your car. = I think selling your car is a good idea.

You should watch English films. = I think watching films in English is a good way to improve your English.

You shouldn’t eat that. = I think that food is bad for you and might make you sick.

Should in all of these phrases express my idea or attitude. It’s just advice. 

If you want to give someone some advice about something sensitive (something that might upset them), you can soften the meaning with probably.

You should probably visit the doctor. You don’t look very healthy.

You probably should take up some exercise. Have you thought about aquarobics? 

You probably shouldn’t eat that. There are a lot of calories in that and you are overweight.

*notice the word order - in negative phrases probably comes before shouldn’t, but in positive phrases, it can go either side. 

Obligation

Must, Have to, Mustn't, Don't have to & Supposed to

Must is used to express obligation. If you must do something, you don’t have a choice about it. We use must to say what we believe is right, to express our own opinion.

You must study harder. If you don’t, you will fail your exam.

I’ll tell you, but you must keep it secret. 

Have to is used to talk about obligations. We use have to when the obligation is a rule or the law. 

You have to complete the test to get a certificate.

You have to score goals to win the game.

Mustn’t is used to say that something is the wrong thing to do. 

You mustn’t touch the ball with your hands (it’s the rule).

You mustn’t tell anyone my secret (it’s wrong).

If there are no rules about something, if there is no obligation or need, you can say don’t have to. 

You don’t have to come with us, but you can if you want. 

You don’t have to get up early at the weekend.

We use supposed to to say what the rules say or what is generally expected. 

When your team scores, you’re supposed to cheer.

However, we normally use supposed to when we are breaking the rules and doing something different.

You’re supposed to play until the referee blows the whistle, but if a player is injured the person with the ball often puts the ball out of play.

You’re not supposed to be in here.