Hi,
My teacher told me that you don't use "to" in an affirmative sentence with the verb "need", but my native English friend (who is not a teacher) said I can. So can you tell me if these four sentences are all correct?
No one need know about this. I need know about this.
No one needs to know about this. I need to know about this.
Thank you!
Need or Need to
Moderator: Alan
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McKinney
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Alan
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Re: Need or Need to
You have slightly misunderstood the rule: when either NEGATIVE or INTERROGATIVE (i.e. not when positive-affirmative!) the verb 'need' can be conjugated as a modal (i.e. without -s in the 3rd person singular or use of auxiliaries). When you opt to use the verb modally (essentially a free choice for the speaker) , the bare infinitive (i.e. without 'to') must be used. Otherwise, you simply treat it as normal full verb and link to the infinitive with 'to'.
Hence, of the sentences you cite,
[1] No one need know about this.
[2] *I need know about this.
[3] No one needs to know about this.
[4] I need to know about this.
only [2] is ungrammatical. (Note that the presence of a negative element - subject, object, etc. - serves to render the clause negative, explaining the correctness of [1].)
Hence, of the sentences you cite,
[1] No one need know about this.
[2] *I need know about this.
[3] No one needs to know about this.
[4] I need to know about this.
only [2] is ungrammatical. (Note that the presence of a negative element - subject, object, etc. - serves to render the clause negative, explaining the correctness of [1].)