What's the Difference between "Must Not" and "Don't Have To"?
Must Not
Must not = mustn't = this is not allowed / this is against the rules.Click Here for Step-by-Step Rules, Stories and Exercises to Practice All English Tenses
"You mustn't drive further."
- "You mustn't smoke in here."
- "Kids must not drive."
- "You must not cross the road when there is a red light."
Don't Have To
Don't have to = this is not necessary / it's okay not to do it."You don't have to buy from him."
Examples:
- "You can come with us to the trip, but you don't have to."
- "She doesn't have to work there. She can quit."
- "I don't have to agree with everything he says."
In summary, "must not" is a command not to do something, and "don't have to" leaves the choice to you.
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