Need / Need to

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Need / Need to
Message from longman posted on 17-06-2013 at 04:15:24 (D | E | F)
Hello,

can you explain why the sentence two is right?
1.You need not to worry, it'll be done.
2.You needn't worry, it'll be done.
Thank you for your help.

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Edited by lucile83 on 17-06-2013 07:40

Re: Need / Need to from irish21, posted on 17-06-2013 at 05:29:51 (D | E)
Hello,
take a look at this link: Link

"you needn't worry": 'need' is used as an auxiliary verb and followed by the infinitive 'worry' without 'to'.
Regards.

Re: Need / Need to from jxbrown, posted on 17-06-2013 at 07:14:29 (D | E)
Hello,

English is complicated! "Need" is an auxiliary verb.
With the negative construct "need not" you drop the "to" from the infinitive.
You need not go. You need not dance. You need not use the "to".

You can also put the negation in front of the auxiliary verb and then you keep the "to" in the infinitive.
You do not need to go. You do not need to dance, You do not need to use the "to".
Of course that can be contracted to:
You don't need to go, etc.
To me, a native speaker of American English, the "need not" construct sounds very formal or even poetic. I would not use it in everyday speech.
More: Link

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Edited by lucile83 on 17-06-2013 07:44

Re: Need / Need to from gerondif, posted on 17-06-2013 at 09:57:47 (D | E)
Hello,
"You can also put the negation with the appropriate auxiliary verb in front of the normal lexical verb and then you keep the "to" in the infinitive.
You do not need to go. You don't need to dance, You do not need to use the "to".

There are two verbs:
1) to need, lexical verb, works like any other verb, at any tense:
I want a pen
I need a pen

Do you need a pen?
Yes, I do,
Yes, I need a pen.
No, I don't
No, I don't need a pen (the verb can't cope with not, the auxiliary verb do takes care of it: I not need a pen would be wrong)

I needed a pen:
Did you need a pen ?
No, I didn't, No, I didn't need a pen.

I will need to come, I will have to come.
I won't need to come, I won't have to come.

a normal lexical verb can be followed by a complete infinitive:
I want to come, I need to come, I expect to come, I would like to come.

2) need, as an auxiliary verb works like can, must... but only in the present tense at the interrogative and negative forms:
(expressingnecessity or absence of necessity)
Need I go to this meeting ?
Yes, you have to go.
No, you needn't go to this meeting.

The structure is similar to:
You shouldn't go to this meeting.

Auxiliary verbs absorb the negation and are followed by the infinitive without the "to".
I don't go to meetings.
I didn't go to this meeting.
I won't go to this meeting.
I can't go to this meeting.
I needn't go to this meeting.
I shan't go to this meeting.
I mustn't go to this meeting.
I wouldn't go to this meeting if I were you.

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