Language skills development

Requirements: need to, have to, must, be + essential, critical

Note how we describe requirements for particular jobs: You need to be able to empathise with the person at the other end of the phone. IT managers have to take responsibility for budgets. You must be interested in your subject. You must have worked for at least two years in systems analysis. Experience with mainframes is essential/critical. We can describe things which are not requirements like this: 6. You don't need to have a degree in computing science.

We can also treat need as a modal verb and use the negative form needn't: 7. You needn't have a degree in computing science. Have to is an ordinary verb. Its negative form is made in the usual way: 8. You don't have to be an expert in everything. Mustn't has a quite different meaning. It means it is important not to do something. It is used for warnings, rules and strong advice. For example: 9. You mustn't make unauthorised copies of software.

Exercise 1. Open the brackets. Mind the tenses.

Though you (not can) know everything you (must, to be) an expert in your own field.

A consultant often (to have to) work on very small timescales- a few days here, a few days there.

He (to need, to be) better if he wants to apply for this job.

Any large organization (must) have at least one IT manager.

You (not must) set up any password system on this computer.

You (must, to spend) lots of time writing this program- it’s very complicated.

You (not to need) have any previous work experience.

(To be) very important to install firewalls and keep out hackers.

A system analyst (to have to) study systems in an organization and decide how to computerize them.

Production of special programs which control the internal operations of computers (to be) very necessary and essential nowadays.

Exercise 2. Use the appropriate modal verbs.

A webmaster …administer a Web server.

An applications programmer is a person who …write applications programs.

You …be extremely qualified if you …create such programs.

A security specialist …a useful qualification for your career.

You … attempt to gain unauthorized access to network systems.

If you …show someone an impressive piece of software with your name on it, it will count a lot more than a string of academic qualifications.

Though university degrees …rather essential still they are sometimes useless.

You … stay in one company for more than two years.

You … expect much if you don’t practice a lot.

You …be bright, communicative and to be able to earn the trust of your team.

Exercise 3. Put the words into the right order.

qualifications renewed certain must Technical be at intervals.

going you train up are If to should training yourself you undertake some.

If you to company go work you need want this some to and take courses with a training will company for.

devote Students time to much towards have their studies.

results can the of Experience exams the not to also influence of amount but have work you do the only.

you In of to the get questions within answering allotted order exam the need pass requisite to used to number the time.

possible should much as You find out also as information.

not Students skip exams otherwise fail must might lectures they the afterwards.

hard knowledge Working the very term for acquiring throughout is essential profound.

for It future paying is training a you your serious good if course get about worth career.

Exercise 4. Choose the right variant.