🔐 Obligation and Option
🔍 Understanding the Concepts
In English, we use specific words and expressions to indicate obligation (things you must do) or option (things you can choose to do). Mastering these terms will help you communicate more accurately and naturally, especially in formal or business contexts.
📘 Common Vocabulary
- must / have to – strong obligation
- need to / required to – necessity
- should / ought to – recommendation
- can / may – permission or possibility
- optional / voluntary – not compulsory
- obliged / compelled / forced – external pressure to do something
- essential / mandatory / compulsory – legally or morally required
🌐 Useful Links
✍️ Exercise 1: Complete the Sentences
Complete sentences 1–17 with a suitable word from the box. More than one answer is possible in some cases.
Box: alternative, compelled, compulsory, entail, essential, exempt, forced, have, liable, mandatory, must, need, obligation, obliged, optional, required, voluntary
- A valid passport and visa are ________ by all visitors to the country. Unless you have these, you will not be allowed in.
- The wearing of helmets and safety clothing on site is ________. You may not enter the site without these.
- Note to hire car drivers: all passengers ________ wear seatbelts. This includes rear-seat passengers.
- There are no direct flights between London and New Orleans. Passengers flying between these cities ________ to change in New York or Washington.
- All companies are ________ for the health and safety of their employees while on company premises.
- Because of the recession, several companies in the area have been ________ to close.
- Books, clothes and food are currently ________ from government tax.
- ________ safety inspections are carried out twice a year.
- Entrance to the museum is free, but visitors are asked to make a ________ donation of $5.
- There is no service charge in this restaurant, but we do ask that groups of 8 or more pay an ________ 10% extra.
- Unless you make prompt repayments, we will have no ________ but to reclaim the property from you.
- Manufacturers of packaged foods are ________ to list all the ingredients clearly on the box or package.
- You are under no ________ to work overtime.
- When Mr. Smith made a mistake that cost his company over $100,000, he felt ________ to leave.
- The project is very exciting, but everyone realizes that it will ________ a lot of work.
- You can order our software programs by phone or online. There’s no ________ to pay until delivery.
- It is absolutely ________ that deliveries are made on time.
