Step 32: Rules of the Game
Obligation — Must / have to / mustn't
📖 Read — Coach Mike's Rules
Ethan's soccer team has a new coach. Coach Mike is friendly, but his rules are clear. “Listen, team! You must wear your uniform at every game. You have to arrive twenty minutes early, and you mustn't use your phones on the field.”
After practice, Ethan is tired. “Do I have to train tomorrow?” he asks. Coach Mike smiles. “No, you don't have to train on Sundays. But you must sleep well before a game!” Ethan laughs. “That rule is easy!”
🧩 Grammar — Must / Have To / Mustn't
Use must and have to for obligations: You must wear a uniform. I have to get up early. Use mustn't for prohibition — it is NOT allowed: You mustn't use your phone. Careful: don't have to is different — it means 'not necessary, your choice': You don't have to train on Sundays.
- You must wear your uniform.
- I have to arrive early.
- You mustn't be late for the game.
- You don't have to bring food — we have a lot.
🏗️ Key structures
- You must ___ — You must listen to the coach.
- I have to ___ — I have to get up early tomorrow.
- You mustn't ___ — You mustn't run near the pool.
⭐ Idiom & natural phrases
A good team always plays by the rules.
🔤 New words
something you must or mustn't do in a game, school, or place
The first rule is: be on time.
a group of people who play or work together
Our team won the game.
training; doing something again and again to get better
We have practice on Tuesdays.
a hard hat that keeps your head safe
Bike riders must wear a helmet.
the special clothes all members of a team or school wear
The team has new uniforms.
not dangerous
Wear a helmet to stay safe.
watching what you do so nothing bad happens
Be careful with the ball near windows!
do what something says (follow the rules); go after someone
Players must follow the rules.
🎧 Say it with me
You must wear your uniform, and you have to arrive early. But you mustn’t use your phone on the field!
🎤 Your turn to speak
Say three rules for a game or for your school: one with must, one with have to, and one with mustn't.
Say it out loud three times. Even better: record it on your phone and listen — your ear is your best teacher.
✍️ Your turn to write
Write 4 rules for your class or team. Use must, have to, mustn't, and don't have to.
See a model answer
You must arrive on time. You have to bring your books. You mustn't eat in class. But you don't have to wear a uniform — this is a free school!
Self-check: capital letters? Full stops? Did you use the grammar of this step?
📝 Quick check
Go deeper
This step is a doorway — the full lesson goes much further:
Have to / Must / Don't Have to — full lesson + 50-question quiz
🎉 Saved in your progress!