动词 “need” 的意思是 “需要,必须”。它的否定形式有两种:“not need to” 和 “needn't”。它们有区别吗?现在时态和过去时态下的这两个否定形式在用法上一样吗?
用法总结
1 在现在时态下,“(do) not need to” 和 “needn't” 表达的意思通常是一样的,即 “不需要,用不着”。“Needn't” 比 “not need to” 稍微更正式一点。
You don't need to worry about the
exam1, you've studied lots.
You needn't worry about the exam, you've studied lots.
I don't need to go to work tomorrow
as2 it's a holiday.
I needn't go to work tomorrow as it's a holiday.
2 在过去时态下,“(did) not need to” 常用来表达我们之前没有做某事,因为 “不需要”。
I didn't need to go to work today, so I stayed in bed.
3 在过去时态下,“needn't + have + 动词过去分词” 常用来表达我们之前做了某事,但其实 “本不必” 做。
He needn't have
worried6 about the exam. It
was7 really easy.
I needn't have gone to work today. I didn't
realise8 it was a holiday. What a
mistake9!