Organizing a birthday party is a perfect excuse to practice how to assign responsibilities in English. In this lesson, you will learn how to use "have to" to describe obligations, talk about family members, and build vocabulary related to party planning — all through a fun comprehension activity based on a grandmother's birthday celebration.
How do you use "have to" to describe responsibilities?
The structure "have to" + base verb is used to express obligations or tasks that someone needs to complete. Throughout the lesson, each family member receives a specific duty for the party, and the phrase have to connects the person with their task [0:30].
Here are the assignments:
- Cousin Sergio has to buy the cake.
- Mother has to buy the food.
- Brother Pablo has to buy the disposable dishes, cutlery, cups, and napkins.
- Sister Diana has to buy the balloons and all the decorations.
- Uncle Andres has to create a set list for the music.
- Aunt Natalia has to send all the invitations and confirm who is coming to the party.
Notice that every sentence follows the same pattern: subject + has to + verb + object. This repetition helps reinforce the structure naturally.
How do you form negative sentences with "have to"?
When answering the comprehension questions, the negative form appears consistently: "doesn't have to" [2:25]. For example:
- "My cousin doesn't have to buy the food. He has to buy the cake."
- "My mother doesn't have to buy the cake. She has to buy the food."
- "He doesn't have to buy only napkins. He has to buy disposable dishes, cutlery, cups, and napkins."
The pattern is clear: subject + doesn't have to + verb for negatives, followed by the correct obligation using has to.
What party vocabulary should you know?
Several useful words appear during the activity [1:00]:
- Disposable dishes: plates designed to be thrown away after use.
- Cutlery: knives, forks, and spoons.
- Napkins: paper or cloth used to clean hands and mouth.
- Balloons: inflatable decorations common at parties.
- Set list: a planned order of songs to be played.
- Invitations: written or spoken requests asking people to attend an event.
These terms are essential when talking about event planning in everyday English.
Why is comprehension practice important for learning English?
The lesson is structured as a comprehension activity [0:20], which means you first listen to the information, take notes, and then answer questions based on what you heard. This approach strengthens your listening skills and your ability to retain details.
Six questions test whether you understood the specific task assigned to each family member. The trick in each question is that it presents an incorrect responsibility, and you must correct it using the negative form and then state the right one [2:15]. This technique practices both negation and affirmation in a single response.
For instance, when asked "Does my uncle have to hire a DJ to play music at the party?" the correct answer is: "No. He doesn't have to hire a DJ. He has to create a set list for the music" [3:30]. The question intentionally misleads, which forces you to recall the exact information.
How can you practice this structure on your own?
A great way to reinforce "have to" is by creating your own scenario. Think about a family celebration — a birthday, a holiday dinner, or a graduation party — and assign tasks to different family members using the structure learned.
For example:
- My dad has to grill the burgers.
- My sister has to pick up the cake.
- My brother has to set up the speakers.
Try writing your own family party plan in the comments, describing what each person has to do. The more members you include, the more you practice!
