Here are two student examples of using semi-modal ‘have to’ to express whether something is required or necessary.

Another thing is you have to make sure that you have included signal words to help the reader.

PELIC Arabic female level 3 writing class.

I mean if someone wears something, you don’t have to wear that because she or he wears it.

TLC male Spain B1 speaking test.

*Note, the reduced clause ‘you don’t have to‘ is the 9th most frequent 5-word Ngram in English.

iWeb 123,895

B2 Point 131 in the category of MODALITY is defined as:

‘you have (got) to’ to make a strong suggestion.

Because the ‘have (got) to structure is found at lower levels too, it is hard to find this formally and because it requires interpretation (not obligation).  This structure is found with a great deal of A1 vocabulary that we have put to the side.

A2 point 16 in the category of VERBS:

SEMI-MODAL AUXILIARY VERBS, ‘HAVE (GOT) TO’

A2 Point in 18 MODALITY  is defined as:

have (got) to  affirmative forms.

A2 point 51:

have (got) to negative forms.

An iWeb search for:

You have to _VVI

1 MAKE 32516 | 2  GO 31774 | 3 PAY 26720 | 4 GET 25745 | 5 TAKE 24810 | 6  USE 22272 | 7  KNOW 15534

8 YOU HAVE TO KEEP 15442

*further collocates:
1 MIND (NN1 ) 2280

  Business Matters

But before doing it, you have to keep in mind certain things to ensure that you don’t face any problems after scrapping your car.

2 EYE (NN1 ) 617
3 TRACK (NN1 ) 473

You have + to-infinitive.

9 WORK 13332 | 10 LOOK 12722 | 11 SAY 11854 | 12 GIVE 11523 | 13 FIND 11407 | 14 PUT 11153 | 15 WAIT 10646 | 16 REMEMBER 10423 | 17 ASK 9678 | 18 UNDERSTAND 9645 | 19 START 9417 | 20 THINK 9284

You’ve got + to-infinitive:

1 GET 2756 | 2 MAKE 1624 | 3 GO 1525 | 4 TAKE 1208 | 5 KEEP 1136 | 6 GIVE 1085 | 7 KNOW 851 | 8 LOOK 777 | 9 FIND 740

10 YOU ‘VE GOT TO TRY 688

  Bendigo Advertiser

You’ve got to try and stay positive. Despite everything that has happened, I really believe that good things are coming and life is turning around.

You’ve got to-infinitive:

11 PUT 665 12 WORK 624 13 REMEMBER 622 14 START 572 15 UNDERSTAND 572 16 LOVE 548 17 THINK 542 18 SEE 509 19 PLAY 469 20 LEARN 439

1 YOU HAVE GOT TO TRY 286

2 YOU HAVE GOT TO GET 275

E! Online

You have got to get outside and take a walk.

3  MAKE 175 | 4  SEE 146 | 5  GO 137

6 YOU HAVE GOT TO CHECK 120

  KTRK-TV

You have got to check out these ladies’ moves!

Apr 25, 2020

  Macworld

If you’re all about weather maps and visualization, you have got to check out the Windy app. 

Feb 18, 2020

  mlive.com

 You have got to check out Birch Lodge! 

Feb 27, 2020