Question

What is the difference in meaning between the sentences "Love means never having to say you're sorry" and "Love means never have to say you're sorry," and why is "having to" used instead of "have to" in the first sentence?

2023-04-19

This is what goPenpal answered

The main difference between "have to" and "having to" is that "have to" is the present simple form while "having to" is the present continuous form. In the first sentence, "Love means never having to say you're sorry", the phrase "having to" is used because it emphasizes the ongoing nature of the action.

In this context, "never having to say you're sorry" means that true love is so deep and strong that it does not require apologies. It is a present continuous action because true love is an ongoing state of mind and being, where one constantly takes care of their romantic partner's feelings, and automatically refrains from doing anything that would hurt them.

On the other hand, in the second sentence, "Love means never have to say you're sorry", the phrase "have to" is incorrect because it is in the present simple tense. The correct sentence should be "Love means never having to say you're sorry." The use of the present continuous form in this context is essential as it implies an ongoing process by which a person is exempted from making apologies.

In summary, we use "having to" when we want to emphasize an ongoing process, while we use "have to" when we refer to a simple present statement. In both cases, we can convey the same meaning as long as we use the correct form of the verb.

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