Need(n't), don't have to and mustn't

Mustn't and needn't / don't have to

We use mustn't to say that something is NOT ALLOWED and needn't (or don't need to) or don't
have to to say that something is NOT NECESSARY:
• You mustn't walk on the grass here.
• You mustn't put anything on the shelves until the glue has set hard.
• They proved that watching a chess match needn't be boring.
• We needn't go into details now, but we seem to agree on the general principles.

D Need, needn't, and don't need to / don't have to

Need can be used as a modal verb (before a bare infinitive) or as an ordinary verb. Compare:
a • You needn't speak so loudly. (= modal verb)
• • She needn't come with us if she doesn't want to. (= modal verb)
• She's thirsty. She needs a drink. (= ordinary verb)
• Jim and Bob are here. They say they need to see you urgently. (= ordinary verb)
When it is a modal verb need is most commonly used in negative sentences, although it is
sometimes also used in questions:
• Need you go home so soon? (or, more commonly Do you have to go...?)
• Need I say more? (or, more commonly Do I have to say...?)

We can use either needn't or don't have to when we say that is unnecessary to do something:
• It would be good
g to see you,
y , but you
y needn't ((or don't have to) come if you're busy.
• You needn't (or don't have to) whisper. Nobody can hear us.

Compare these uses of needn't and don't need to.

To give permission not to do • You needn't cut the grass, I'll do it later. /
something we can use either • You don't need to cut the grass, I'll do it later. /
needn't or don't need to:
To talk about a general necessity, You don't need to be over 18 to get into a disco. /
we prefer don't need to: You needn't be over 18 to get into a disco. X

Didn't need to / didn't have to and need not have

When we say that it was not necessary to do something in the past, and it wasn't done, we use
didn't need to or didn't have to. To show that we think something that was done was not, in
fact, necessary we use need not have:
• Chris and June phoned to say that they couldn't come to eat, so I didn't need/have to cook
dinner. (= I didn't cook the dinner)
• I needn't have cooked dinner. Just as it was ready, Chris and June phoned to say that they
couldn't come to eat. (= I did cook the dinner)

Study how we use need with scarcely, hardly, and only, particularly in formal contexts:
• We need hardly point out that there is a water shortage at the moment. (= it is almost
unnecessary for us to point out...)
• I need scarcely add that you will be missed. (= it is almost unnecessary for me to add...)
• The changes need only be small to make the proposals acceptable.
'...hardly need to point out...,' '...scarcely need to add...' and '...only need to be...' are also
possible, and less formal.
Must and have (got) to
 UNIT
EXERCISES 2 4

24.1 Match the sentence beginnings and ends. (A)

1 You mustn't drink alcohol a to enjoy it.
2 You mustn't keep medicines b when you go into a pub.
3 You don't have to be a member с if teachers object to the new curriculum.
4 You don't have to play golf well d to run up and down the aisle of the aircraft.
5 Newspapers mustn't e to use the tennis club.
6 You don't have to drink alcohol f when you drive.
7 Newspapers don't have to say g who provided their information.
8 Children mustn't be allowed h where children can get them.
9 You mustn't be surprised i mislead the public.

24.2 Underline the more likely answer. If they are equally likely, underline them both. (C)
1 You needn't I don't need to close the door. I'm just going out.
2 In most developed countries, people needn't I don't need to boil water before they drink it.
3 Hannah has agreed to organise the party, so she said that the rest of us needn't I don't need
to do anything.
4 I've brought the car, so you needn't I don't need to carry your bags to the station.
5 You needn't I don't need to have any qualifications to be a politician.
6 Now that it has been eradicated, doctors needn't I don't need to vaccinate against smallpox.
7 You needn't I don't need to go to the supermarket. I went shopping earlier.
8 In many countries you needn't I don't need to pay to use public libraries.

24.3 Complete the sentences with either needn't have or didn't need to followed by an appropriate
verb. (D)
1 I bought a new car last year, and then a month later I won one in a competition. So I
all that money.
2 I an interview. They accepted me without one.
3 The accident if only Tom had got his lights repaired when he said he was
going to.
4 I got a lift to the station, so I a taxi after all.
5 Sue was feeling a lot better by the weekend, so we her shopping for her.

24.4 Here are some extracts from a speech made by the managing director of a company to her
employees. Correct any mistakes. (A-E)

1 I need hardly to tell you how important it is that we win this order.
2 I don't have to remind you that we are competing with two other companies.
3 We don't need to allow our competitors to gain an advantage over us.
4 We were delighted that we needn't have sold off our subsidiary company last year.
5 We mustn't allow our production rates to drop.
6 You mustn't work at weekends for the moment.
7 You needn't to worry about redundancies.
49
 Key to exercises

23.4 UNIT 25 7 got

Possible answers are given. 8 became
25.1
1 A: Have you heard that Tom's
joined the army? 2 Could I leave my books with 26.3
B: You've got to be kidding. you? 2 turned forty
(= joking) ('You must be 3 Can I call my brother from 3 went/turned black
kidding.' and 'You have to your phone? 4 went dead
be kidding.' are also 4 Could I talk to you about my 5 went/turned white
possible) job application? 6 went missing
5 Can't/Couldn't I park my car 7 turned into a film
2 A: It says in this letter that we
on your drive? 8 went wild
still owe £2,000 in tax.
B: There must be some 6 Can I ask you exactly what
your job is? 26.4
mistake. ('There has (got) to 1 came/grew
7 Can't/Couldn't I pick some of
be...' is also possible) 2 got
the apples off the tree in your
3 A: I'm going bungee jumping 3 gone
garden?
next weekend. 4 came/grew
8 Can't/Couldn't I come with
B: You must be mad. 5 went
you to your summer house?
4 A: Hello, I'm Alex. 6 came/grew (The context
9 Could I have the last piece of
B: Oh, you must be Jane's suggests a gradual change, so
your birthday cake?
husband. 'got' is unlikely here.)
25.2
2 was allowed to
UNIT 24 3 were allowed to UNIT 27
4 couldn't / wasn't allowed to
24.1 5 was allowed to 27.1
1+f 2+h 3 + e 4 + a 6 couldn't / wasn't allowed to 1 've (have) got (= possession)
5+i 6+b 7 + g 8 + d 7 were allowed to ('have' is also possible)
9 + c 8 couldn't / wasn't allowed to 2 to have got (= obtained) ('to
... could / was allowed to have' is also possible)
24.2
9 could / were allowed to 3 to have (= to-infinitive)
1 needn't / don't need to
10 was allowed to 4 have got (= obtained/
2 don't need to
received)
3 needn't / don't need to 25.3
4 needn't / don't need to 5 having (= -ing form)
1 / 6 have got (= received) ('have' is
5 don't need to 2 would you like to go
6 don't need to also possible)
3 / 7 to have (= used to)
7 needn't / don't need to 4 would you like to do
8 don't need to 8 having got (= obtained/
5 would you like to order received)
24.3 6 / 9 have (= short answer)
Suggested verbs are given. 7 would fd) like 10 had (= past)
1 needn't have spent 8 / 11 had got (= obtained) ('had
2 didn't need to have 9 would fd) like had' is also possible)
3 needn't have happened 10 would ('d) like 12 've (have) got (= possession)
4 didn't need to take ('have' is also possible)
5 didn't need to do (Note that we can also use a form
UNIT 26 of 'get' in some of these sentences:
24.4
3 to get; 4 get; 7 to get; 8 getting;
1 I need hardly tell you 26.1 10 got)
2 / ('I don't need to remind you' IN 2 O 3 N 4 N
is also possible) 5 0 6 N 7 O 8 N 27.2
3 We mustn't allow 9 O 10 N 2 took a dislike (notice that we
4 that we didn't have to sell (or say 'take a liking', not 'take a
didn't need to sell) off 26.2 like')
5 • 1 got
3 took/had a stroll
6 You don't have to (or don't 2 became
4 take care
need to) work 3 got (more natural than
5 had an effect
7 You needn't worry ('mustn't 'become' in this informal
6 have a say
worry' or 'don't have to worry' context)
7 took/had a sip
are also possible) 4 Get
8 taken/had a holiday
5 became
6 became 9 had a fall

295