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539 Glossary for any unfamiliar terms

Modality | 667

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Negative

The negative of have got to is formed by adding not after have:

I 

haven’t got to go till five.

The negative of have to is normally formed with auxiliary do. In rare cases,

especially in formal contexts, it may occur as have/had not to or haven’t/hadn’t to:

It 

doesn’t have to look so perfect.

He 

had not to wait many minutes, however, for he soon heard her dress rustling

in the hall, followed by a soft closing of the door.

(formal, literary style)

Deductions

Have (got) to

is also used, though less frequently, to make deductions or draw

logical conclusions. In this meaning it is similar to must:

[looking for a particular house]

He said a white house next to the village shop. Er, this 

has got to be it.

(or: This must be it.)

[telling a story about getting on the wrong train]

So I said, ‘Maureen, this one’ll be our train,’ and of course it 

had to be the

wrong one. So we got off at the next stop.

(predictably, it was the wrong one)