4.248 indicating importance

You can use 'have to' or 'have got to' instead of 'must' to say that something is necessary or extremely important.

• The pine tree has to produce pollen in gigantic quantities.
• We have to look more closely at the record of their work together.
• This has got to be put right.
• You've got to be able to communicate.

4.249

'Need to' can also be used instead of 'must'.

• We need to change the balance of power.
• You do not need to worry.

4.250

You can also say that something is important or necessary by using a sentence beginning with the impersonal pronoun 'it', followed by 'is', an adjective such as 'important' or 'necessary', and a 'that'-clause.

• It is important that you should know precisely what is going on.
• It is essential that immediate action should be taken.
• It is vital that babies travel in government-approved carriers.

'Important' and 'necessary' can also be followed by a 'to'-infinitive clause.

• It's important to recognise what industry needs at this moment.
• It is necessary to examine this claim before we proceed any further.

4.251

You can use 'had better' instead of 'should' or 'ought to' to say that something is the right or correct thing to do. You use 'had better' with 'I' or 'we' to indicate an intention. You use it with 'you' when you are giving advice or a warning.

• I think I had better show this to my brother.
• He decided that we had better meet.
• You'd better go.