Learning English Grammar Things you have to do
Oct 14, 2025
Beth, a participant who shares her experiences with social obligations, joins Neil to discuss the challenges of fulfilling duties we often dread. They delve into the nuances of expressions like 'have to,' 'be meant to,' and 'be supposed to.' Personal stories about avoiding parties and the awkwardness of small talk highlight these grammar points. The conversation also touches on feelings of guilt when opting out and explores hypothetical scenarios using the second conditional to express emotional outcomes.
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Missing A Party Because You Need To
- Beth was meant to go to a friend's birthday party but felt ill and didn’t go.
- She explains obligation can be real yet still broken for personal reasons.
Weekly Game Obligation
- Finn is supposed to play football with friends every Friday and sometimes doesn't want to go.
- He still goes because if too few attend the game would get cancelled.
Cafe Small-Talk Expectation
- Pippa says she's meant to make small talk at her regular cafe but often just wants to drink coffee.
- She feels social expectation despite not being ready for conversation.