Date: July 23, 2012
From:
Keith Bradford
"Your grammar book is wrong about
to, sorry.
Need with a noun object:
I need water for my roses. You need time to think about that. We all need friends.
Need with a verb object, positive sentences:
You need to ask again. They need to be careful. (Meaning sometimes very close to
should.)
Need with a verb object, negative sentences:
You do not/don't need to ask again. They do not/don't need to be careful.
Need as a modal, negative sentences, colloquial option:
You needn't ask again. (Meaning sometimes very close to mustn't.)
Need with a verb object, questions:
Do you need to ask? Need you ask? (Also
Do you need ask? though this is rarer)
How to distinguish between them? Why do you need to? Just keep to the above usage."
That's all
