What exactly is the difference between the following two sentences?
What is to be done?
or
What has to be done?
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1 Answer
What is to be done?
means, "What will be done in the future?"
What has to be done?
means, "What must be done?"
The first sentence is expressing plans or intentions. The second sentence is expressing obligations or requirements.
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I'm no native speaker but "What is to be done?" sounds a bit unidiomatic, does it?– RubioRicCommented Oct 10, 2018 at 11:45
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1@RubioRic "What is to be done?" is a bit old fashioned, but it is standard and acceptable. You are likely to hear this construction in the sentence, "There's nothing to be done."– TashusCommented Oct 10, 2018 at 13:17