When we talk about work, we often need to talk about rules, duties, and suggestions. English uses modal verbs for these ideas, and choosing the right modal changes the meaning in important ways. In this section, you will learn the difference between must, have to, should, ought to, mustn't and don't have to, and you will see how to form questions and short answers with them.
Must and have to both express obligation, but they are not identical. We use must when the speaker feels the obligation is strong and personal, often from inside themselves. For example, I must finish this report before five o'clock — I am telling myself. We use have to when the obligation comes from outside, from a company rule, a manager, or a law.She has to wear a uniform means the company requires it. In questions, have to is more common: Do I have to sign this form?Must can appear in questions, but it sounds very formal: Must I really attend?
Should and ought to give advice.Should is the most common in everyday English, and you will hear it constantly in the office.You should ask for feedback after the project.Ought to means almost the same thing, but it is more formal and is always followed by to: We ought to update the training plan. Use should when you are giving a friendly recommendation to a colleague, and ought to in written reports, policies or more serious conversations.
It is also important to know the difference between mustn't and don't have to. These two modals are opposites and many learners confuse them.Mustn't is a strong prohibition — You mustn't share your password with anyone. It means "do not do this." Don't have to means there is no obligation — You don't have to come in on Saturday. It means "you may, but you do not need to." A simple way to remember: mustn't = do not, but don't have to = you can choose.
Look at the table below to see the full pattern at a glance.
Modal
Meaning
Example sentence
must
strong personal obligation
I must reply to this email now.
have to / has to
external obligation
He has to attend the meeting at nine.
should
advice (friendly)
You should keep a record of your work.
ought to
advice (formal)
We ought to review the budget this week.
mustn't
prohibition
You mustn't use your phone in the meeting.
don't / doesn't have to
no obligation
She doesn't have to work overtime.
To form a question, move the modal to the front (with must and should), or use do / does (with have to): Should I apply now?Do I have to apply online? Short answers are common in the office: Yes, you must. / No, you don't have to. / Yes, you should. Notice that must, should and ought to keep the same form for I, you, he and they — they do not add an -s.
الموضوع ده عن الـ modal verbs في سياق الشغل، يعني الأفعال المساعدة اللي بنستخدمها لما نتكلم عن الواجبات، النصايح، والقيود في بيئة العمل. اختيار الـ modal الغلط ممكن يغيّر المعنى كله، فخلينا نمشي واحدة واحدة.
Must مقابل Have to
الاتنين بيعبّروا عن الإلزام (obligation)، بس الفرق في مصدره:
Must: لما الالتزام جاي من جوا الشخص نفسه، يعني قرار شخصي أو إحساس قوي. مثال: "I must finish this report before five." - أنا حاسس إني لازم.
Have to: لما الالتزام جاي من بره، زي قانون الشركة أو تعليمات المدير. مثال: "She has to wear a uniform." - الشركة هي اللي بتطلب.
Should مقابل Ought to
الاتنين بيقدموا نصيحة، بس:
Should: الأكثر في الكلام اليومي والودود. مثال: "You should ask for feedback on the project."
Ought to: نفس المعنى بس formal أكتر، ودايماً بيجي بعده to. مثال: "We ought to update the training plan."
Mustn't مقابل Don't have to
ودي النقطة اللي بتلخبط كتير من المتعلمين:
Mustn't = ممنوع خالص (prohibition). "You mustn't share your password with anyone."
Don't have to = مش لازم، بس ممكن لو عايز. "You don't have to come in on Saturday."
الأسئلة والردود القصيرة
في الشغل هتسمع كتير حاجات زي:
"Should I apply now?"
"Do I have to apply online?"
"Yes, you should." / "No, you don't have to."
قاعدة مهمة: الـ modals زي must و should و ought to مبياخدوش s مع he/she/it، يعني دايماً "He must" مش "He musts". ركّز على النقطة دي في التمارين.
Employees must arrive at the office before nine o'clock.
Read this example. It shows a strong obligation.
You should ask your manager for feedback on the project.
Read this example. It shows friendly advice.
Required
Look at the two example sentences above. The second sentence is advice, not obligation. Which modal gives advice?
must
should
have to
Required
I ___ finish this report before I leave today.
Required
Which sentence is a prohibition (a strong rule telling you not to do something)?
You should update your skills.
You mustn't share your password with anyone.
You have to attend the meeting.
Required
You ___ (don't have to / mustn't) work on Saturdays. Working on Saturday is not necessary, but you may if you want.
Required
The sentence You mustn't be late means the same as You don't have to be on time.
**Mustn't be late** is a strong prohibition: do not be late. **Don't have to be on time** means being on time is not necessary.
Required
Put the words in the correct order to make a sentence of advice.
You
should
improve
your
communication
skills
Required
Drag the correct modal into each gap.
should
don't have to
must
mustn't
All staff complete the safety training.
You ask for help if you feel confused.
You use personal email for company work.
On Fridays we wear a tie.
Listening
Listening
5
cards
In this section, you will listen to a short workplace conversation between two colleagues, Sarah and Mark. They are talking in the office kitchen during a break. Sarah is thinking about applying for a team leader position that has just been advertised internally, and she wants Mark's advice. Mark has worked at the company for several years and knows what the managers look for in a leader.
The conversation contains many of the modals of obligation and advice from Section 1 (must, have to, should, ought to, mustn't, don't have to) and several of the vocabulary items from Section 2 (communication, problem-solving, reliability, initiative, teamwork). As you listen, focus on what Mark says are the most important skills, and on the difference between should (advice) and don't have to (no obligation).
Before you listen, predict: if a friend asked you what three skills a new team leader needs most, what would you say? Keep your answer in mind as you listen, and compare it with Sarah and Mark's discussion.
الحوار اللي هتسمعه ده بين زميلين في الشغل، سارة ومارك، قاعدين في مطبخ الشركة وقت البريك. سارة شافت إعلان عن وظيفة team leader (رئيس فريق) داخلية، وبتفكر تقدم، فسألت مارك النصيحة. مارك شغال في الشركة من سنين وعارف المديرين بيدوروا على إيه في القائد الجديد.
المودلز المهمة في الحوار:
الحوار فيه كام modal من اللي اتكلمنا عنهم قبل كده، وكل واحد ليه معنى مختلف:
have to: معناها "لازم" أو "مضطر"، وبتستخدم لما يكون فيه التزام حقيقي. زي ما مارك قال: "you have to be able to explain things clearly to the whole team". يعني القائد لازم يقدر يوصل المعلومة لكل الناس في الفريق.
should: دي نصيحة، أهدأ من have to. زي: "You should show that you can solve problems under pressure". يعني "الأحسن إنك" تعمل كده، نصيحة مش أمر.
ought to: قريبة من should بس أقوى شوية في النصيحة. زي: "you ought to take a short management course". يعني بينصحك بشدة تاخد الكورس ده.
don't have to: معناها "مش لازم" خالص، يعني مفيش أي إلزام. زي: "you don't have to know everything from day one". مارك بيطمن سارة إنها مش مضطرة تعرف كل حاجة من أول يوم.
الفرق المهم بين should و have to:
have to = إلزام حقيقي، обязан، لازم
should = نصيحة، الأحسن، مش обязательно
don't have to = مفيش إلزام خالص، ارتاح
كلمات مهمة من الحوار:
team leader: رئيس الفريق، اللي بيدير شوية ناس
communication skills: مهارات التواصل، يعني تقدر تشرح وتسمع وتوصل المعلومة كويس
solve problems under pressure: تحل المشاكل لما تكون تحت ضغط ووقت ضيق
handle: تتعامل مع الموقف. مثلاً: "you handled it really well" يعني "أنت تعاملت مع الموقف ممتاز"
managed a team: أدارت فريق، يعني كنت مسؤولة عن ناس
management course: كورس إدارة
نصيحة للاستماع:
ركز كويس على المهارات اللي مارك بيقول إنها مهمة للـ team leader. وانتبه للفرق بين should (نصيحة) و have to (إلزام). وكمان خد بالك من الجملة اللي بيقول فيها إن سارة مش لازم تقلق عشان مش مضطرة تعرف كل حاجة من أول يوم.
Two colleagues, Sarah and Mark, are having a break in the office kitchen. Sarah is thinking about applying for a team leader position.
S
SarahHi Mark, do you have a minute?
M
MarkSure, Sarah. What's up?
S
SarahI'm thinking about applying for the team leader position. What skills do you think they want?
M
MarkWell, you'll need strong communication skills. You have to be able to explain things clearly to the whole team.
S
SarahThat makes sense. Anything else?
M
MarkYou should show that you can solve problems under pressure. Last month, when the client changed the deadline, you handled it really well.
S
SarahThanks. I'm a bit worried about leadership, though. I've never managed a team before.
M
MarkDon't worry too much. You don't have to know everything from day one. But you ought to take a short management course.
S
SarahGood idea. The application form asks for three key qualities. What would you choose?
M
MarkI'd say reliability, initiative, and teamwork. You show all three every day.
S
SarahThat's really helpful. I must update my CV tonight.
M
MarkYou mustn't leave it until the last minute, though!
Required
What is the main topic of the conversation?
Sarah is leaving the company.
Sarah is thinking about applying for a new position.
Mark is asking for a pay rise.
Required
According to Mark, Sarah already has strong communication skills and she has to be able to explain things clearly to a team.
Mark says, "You have to be able to explain things clearly to the whole team."
Required
Listen again. Mark advises Sarah to take a short ___ course before she applies.
Pronunciation
Pronunciation
6
cards
The sound /ʃ/ is very common in English, and it appears in many of the most useful workplace words: should, share, shift, finish, push, professional, relationship. If you can produce /ʃ/ clearly, your pronunciation of English will immediately sound more natural.
How to make /ʃ/. /ʃ/ is a voiceless fricative. That means the air flows continuously, without any vibration in your throat. To make it:
Raise the middle and back of your tongue towards the hard palate (the roof of your mouth, just behind your top teeth). Do not touch the roof completely — the air must still flow through a narrow gap.
Round your lips and push them slightly forward, almost like a small circle.
Push air through the narrow gap. You should feel the air on your fingers if you hold your hand in front of your mouth.
Keep your voice off. /ʃ/ is voiceless — put your hand on your throat and you should feel no vibration. (If your throat vibrates, you are making /ʒ/ as in measure, which is a different sound.)
How /ʃ/ is different from /tʃ/. Many learners confuse /ʃ/ with /tʃ/ (the sound in chair, check and choose). The tongue and lip shape are almost the same, but /tʃ/ begins with a small stop: the tip of the tongue touches the ridge just behind the top teeth, blocks the air for a moment, and then releases into the /ʃ/ shape. /ʃ/ has no stop — the air flows from the beginning. Try saying ship (one smooth sound) and chip (you feel a tiny pause at the start) and listen to the difference.
Words with /ʃ/ useful for this lesson:
Word
Spelling
Sound position
should
sh-
start
share
sh-
start
shift
sh-
start
finish
-sh
end
push
sh
end
professional
-sh-
middle
relationship
-sh-
middle
A short tip: in British English, the letter t in words like relationship is often pronounced as /ʃ/. So relationship sounds like /rɪˈleɪʃənʃɪp/. Listen for this in meetings and presentations.
صوت الـ /ʃ/ — المفتاح لِلكام طبيعي في الإنجليزي
النهارده هنتكلم عن صوت مهم جداً في اللغة الإنجليزية، وهو صوت الـ /ʃ/ اللي دايماً بنسمّيه "ش" في العربي. الصوت ده بيبان في كلمات كتير بنستخدمها كل يوم في الشغل زي should و share و shift و finish و push و professional و relationship. لو اتعلمت تعمله صح، كلامك هيبقى أنعم بكتير وهتسمّع زي الناس الأصليين.
إزاي تعمل الصوت ده بفيزيائي؟
ارفع نص لسانك ورقبته ناحية سقف حلقك (الجزء الصلب اللي ورا ضروسك من فوق). بس مهم متلمسش السقف خالص، لازم يفضل فيه فتحة ضيقة.
كوّر شفايفك وادّيهم لقدام شوية، زي لما بتقول "شششش" لحد صغير أو بتعمل صوت "اسكت".
طلّع الهوا من الفتحة الضيقة دي. لو حطيت إيدك قدام بقك هتحس بالهوا طالع بنعومة.
خلّي حلقك مطفي. الصوت ده اسمه voiceless يعني الحنجرة مش بتشتغل خالص. جرّب تحط إيدك على حلقك، لو حسيت برعشة يبقى أنت بتعمل صوت تاني اسمه /ʒ/ اللي موجود في كلمة measure.
الفرق بين /ʃ/ و /tʃ/
ناس كتير بتغلط وبتخلط بين /ʃ/ و /tʃ/ (الصوت اللي في chair و check و choose). الفرق بسيط لكن مهم: صوت /tʃ/ بيبدأ بحاجة اسمها stop، يعني طرف اللسان بيلمس اللثة فوق وبيسد الهوا لثانية وبعدين بيفتح. اما /ʃ/ فالهوا بيعدي من الأول من غير وقفة. جرب قول ship (هتلاقيه صوت واحد سلس) و chip (هتحس بوقفة صغيرة في الأول قبل ما الصوت يطلع).
نصيحة ذكية للإنجليزي البريطاني
في الـ British English، حرف الـ t في كلمات زي relationship بيتنطق /ʃ/، فبتسمعها rɪˈleɪʃənʃɪp. ركّز في الاجتماعات والعروض التقديمية وهتلاحظ الصوت ده في كل حتة.
دلوقتي استمع للموديل في التمارين وكرّر وراه علشان تتمرّن على الصوت.
To make /ʃ/: round your lips, raise the middle of your tongue towards the roof of your mouth, push air through without vibrating your throat. There is no stop at the beginning, so the sound is smooth from start to finish.
Required
You will hear ONE word. Which word do you hear?
ship
chip
Required
Read the word aloud. Focus on a smooth /ʃ/ at the start, with rounded lips.
should
Required
Read the word aloud. Keep the /ʃ/ clean and smooth at the beginning.
share
Required
Read the short phrase aloud. Notice the /ʃ/ in share and the smooth link into your.
share your ideas
Speaking
Speaking
7
cards
In an interview, the hiring manager will often ask you to describe your skills, your qualities, or a time you used a particular skill. Answering well is a key workplace skill in itself. The best answers are short, specific and honest. You give the skill, you give a short example, and you end with the result.
A simple structure you can use is: skill + example + result. For example: I would describe myself as a reliable person. Last quarter, I managed the weekly report on my own for six weeks, and we never missed a deadline. This kind of answer is much stronger than a list of adjectives like I am hard-working, intelligent and friendly.
Here are some useful phrases for describing your skills and qualities in an interview.
Phrase
When to use it
I would describe myself as ___.
To give one or two key qualities.
I have strong ___ skills.
To name a hard or soft skill.
In my last role, I ___ .
To introduce a short example.
As a result, ___ .
To show the positive result of your action.
I am comfortable with ___ .
To talk about tools, software or situations.
I am used to working under pressure / in a team.
To talk about your working style.
I would like to develop my ___ .
To talk about a skill you want to grow.
Could you tell me more about the team?
To ask a question back to the interviewer.
In the model dialogue, you will hear a candidate (Dan) answering a manager (Ms. Carter) using exactly this kind of language. Notice how Dan gives the skill, then a short example, then the result. After the model, you will record two key sentences, and then you will have the same conversation live with the AI interviewer.
إزاي تجاوب على سؤال المهارات في الإنترفيو
الفكرة الأساسية في أي إنترفيو إنك تجاوب على سؤال "إيه مهاراتك؟" بشكل منظم. القاعدة الذهبية هي skill + example + result، يعني المهارة وبعدين مثال قصير وبعدين النتيجة. ده بيخلي إجابتك قوية ومحددة، مش مجرد كلام عام.
أهم العبارات اللي هتحتاجها
I would describe myself as ___: دي طريقة مهذبة ورسمية تقدم بيها نفسك. مثلاً: I would describe myself as a reliable team player with strong problem-solving skills. يعني "هوصف نفسي كشخص بيعتمد عليه وبيشتغل ضمن فريق وعنده مهارات حل مشاكل قوية".
I have strong ___ skills: بتستخدمها لما تحب تركز على مهارة معينة، سواء hard skill زي I have strong data analysis skills أو soft skill زي I have strong communication skills.
In my last role, I ___: بداية ممتازة لأي مثال حقيقي. بتدخل بيها على موقف فعلي من شغلك السابق.
As a result, ___: بتوضح بيها النتيجة الإيجابية اللي وصلت ليها بسبب فعلك.
I am comfortable with ___: بتتنفع جداً لما تتكلم عن البرمجيات أو المواقف اللي بتتعامل معاها بسلاسة، زي I am comfortable presenting to groups.
نقاط نحوية مهمة
لاحظ استخدام would في جملة I would describe myself - دي بتدي نبرة مهذبة ومحترمة من غير ما تكون متكبر. كمان لاحظ إن strong قبل الـ noun بتقوي الصفة وبتخليها أقوى من كلمة good العادية.
نصيحة أخيرة
الإجابة الكويسة بتكون قصيرة ومحددة وصادقة. بدل ما تقول I am hard-working, intelligent and friendly كـ list طويل، قول صفة واحدة بس واديلها مثال حقيقي من شغلك واختم بالنتيجة. كده بتخلي اللي قدامك يحس إنك فعلاً عملت الحاجات دي.
A short model interview. Ms. Carter asks Dan about his skills and he answers using the structure: skill + example + result.
M
Ms. CarterWelcome, Dan. Could you tell me a little about your key skills?
D
DanOf course. I would describe myself as a reliable team player with strong problem-solving skills.
M
Ms. CarterCan you give me an example?
D
DanSure. In my last role, a supplier delivered the wrong parts. I called three other suppliers the same day and found a solution, so the project finished on time.
M
Ms. CarterThat's a good example. What about communication?
D
DanI am comfortable presenting to groups, and I usually write a short summary email after every meeting.
I would describe myself as a reliable team player with strong problem-solving skills.
This is a strong opening sentence for an interview. It combines a quality (reliable), a soft skill (team player) and a hard skill (problem-solving).
Required
Read the sentence aloud, clearly and at a natural speed. This is the sentence that opens Dan's answer.
I would describe myself as a reliable team player with strong problem-solving skills.
Required
Read the sentence aloud. It uses had to (external obligation) and the skill + example + result structure.
In my last role, I had to solve a problem under pressure, and as a result, we met the deadline.
Required
You are in a job interview. The AI will play Ms. Carter, the hiring manager. She will ask you about your skills. Use the structure skill + example + result, and try to use modals of obligation or advice (must, have to, should, ought to, mustn't, don't have to) where it feels natural.
Required
Vocabulary
Vocabulary
6
cards
Every job needs a mix of hard skills (technical knowledge you can learn) and soft skills (qualities in the way you work and communicate). When you apply for a new position, write a CV or prepare for an interview, you will need words that describe these skills and qualities clearly. In this section, you will meet eight important words that are very common in British workplaces, in job adverts and in performance reviews.
The first four words describe skills — things you can do.Teamwork is the ability to work well with other people towards a common goal.Leadership is the ability to guide a team, make decisions and take responsibility.Communication is the ability to share information clearly, in speaking and in writing.Problem-solving is the ability to find solutions when something is difficult or unexpected.
The next four words describe qualities — the kind of person you are at work.Time management is the ability to use your hours well, meet deadlines and not waste time.Reliability means that people can trust you to do what you say you will do.Initiative is the ability to act without waiting to be told.Adaptability is the ability to change your plans and learn new things when the situation changes.
Look at the table below. Each word is followed by its part of speech, a short Arabic gloss, and an example sentence in English (UK).
Word
Part of speech
Meaning (Arabic)
Example sentence
teamwork
noun
العمل الجماعي
Good teamwork is essential in our department.
leadership
noun
القيادة
She showed real leadership during the crisis.
communication
noun
التواصل
Clear communication prevents mistakes.
problem-solving
noun
حل المشكلات
Strong problem-solving skills are required for this role.
time management
noun
إدارة الوقت
My time management has improved this year.
reliability
noun
الموثوقية
Her reliability makes her a great colleague.
initiative
noun
المبادرة
He took the initiative to fix the problem himself.
adaptability
noun
القدرة على التكيّف
We need adaptability in a fast-changing market.
A useful tip: many of these words can be turned into adjectives with the suffix -al (communication → communicative), and some can be used in the common phrase to have strong ___ skills (strong problem-solving skills, strong communication skills). When you describe yourself in an interview, the pattern is: I am a reliable person, or I have strong problem-solving skills. In a CV, you can write these words under a heading called Key skills.
في الدنيا دي من الشغل، الكلمات اللي بتتعلمها النهارده هي من أهم الكلمات اللي هتستخدمها في الـ CV والإنترفيو والـ performance review. كل الكلمات دي بتبقى soft skills، يعني صفات شخصية وطريقة شغل، مش hard skills زي اللي بتتعلمها في كورس تقني.
الكلمات الأولى: مهارات بتعملها (skills)
Teamwork يعني العمل الجماعي، إنك تشتغل مع ناس تانية كفريق عشان توصلوا لهدف واحد.
Leadership هي القيادة، إنك تقود فريق، تاخد قرارات، وتتحمل مسؤولية.
Communication يعني التواصل، إنك توصّل المعلومة كويس سواء بالكلام أو بالكتابة.
Problem-solving يعني حل المشكلات، إنك تلاقي حلول لما حاجة تبقى صعبة أو مش متوقعة.
الكلمات التانية: صفات إنت كشخص في الشغل (qualities)
Time management يعني إدارة الوقت، إنك تستغل ساعاتك كويس وتسلّم الشغل في معاده.
Reliability يعني الموثوقية، إن الناس تثق إنك تعمل اللي وعدت بيه.
Initiative يعني المبادرة، إنك تتصرف من غير ما حد يقولك أو يأمرك.
Adaptability يعني القدرة على التكيّف، إنك تغيّر خطتك وتتعلم حاجات جديدة لما الظروف تتغير.
نصيحة مهمة في القواعد (Grammar tip):
كلمات كتير من دول ممكن تتحول لـ adjectives لو ضفت -al في الآخر:
communication → communicative
reliability → reliable
initiative → initiative (نفسها)
كمان فيه تركيب شائع جداً في الإنترفيوهات والـ CVs: to have strong ___ skills، زي:
I have strong problem-solving skills.
She has excellent communication skills.
لما تعرّف عن نفسك، استخدم patterns زي:
I am a reliable person.
I have strong leadership skills.
وفي الـ CV، تحط الكلمات دي تحت heading اسمه Key skills أو Core competencies، والـ recruiter يقدر يشوفها في ثواني.
Learn these eight words about workplace skills and qualities.
A
adaptabilityəˌdæptəˈbɪləti
The ability to adjust to new conditions, change behavior, or modify one's approach to suit different situation
communicationkəˌmjuː.nɪˈkeɪ.ʃən
the act of communicating with people :
a message , letter , or announcement :
the various methods of sending i
I
initiativeɪˈnɪʃətɪv
The ability to act independently and make decisions without being told what to do; a new plan or action design
L
leadershipˈliːdəʃɪp
The ability to guide, direct, or influence people or groups; the position or function of a leader.
P
problem-solvingˈprɒbləm ˌsɒlvɪŋ
The process of finding solutions to difficult or complex issues by identifying the cause, analyzing options, a
R
reliabilityrɪˌlaɪəˈbɪləti
The quality of being reliable; the ability to be trusted and believed to do something correctly or consistentl
T
teamworkˈtiːmwɜːk
The combined action of a group of people working together, especially when this is effective and efficient.
T
time managementtaɪm ˈmænɪdʒmənt
The process of planning and organizing how to divide your time between different activities in order to achiev
Required
Match each quality to its short definition.
Match each quality to its short definition.
the ability to work well with other people
people can trust you to do what you say
the ability to find solutions when something is difficult
the ability to act without waiting to be told
teamwork
reliability
problem-solving
initiative
Reliability, communication and adaptability are the three qualities our company values most.
Notice how three skills/qualities are joined by and. This is a very common pattern in workplace English.
Required
Audio is being generated — try again in a minute.
Listen and choose the quality that is mentioned in the sentence.
leadership
reliability
initiative
adaptability
Required
Your colleague always meets her deadlines and you can completely depend on her. Which quality best describes her?
