1.

NEEDN'T HAVE + PAST PARTICIPLE means that the action is done, but it was
unnecessary and even a waste of time.
You needn't have cooked dinner for me. I ate on the train. (You cooked supper but now you know it
was not necessary).
2. DIDN'T NEED TO + INFINITIVE means that the action was not necessary and the person
did not do it.
We bought a take-away meal so I didn't need to cook. (It was not necessary for me to cook and I knew
this at the time)

Complete the following sentences with didn't need to or needn't have + verbs in bold in the correct
form.

1) You ______________________________ the ironing as I was going to do that tomorrow. DO

2) You ______________________________ any more milk. I bought some today. BUY
3) We were travelling in a camper van so we ______________________________ a tent. TAKE
4) Jane didn't sign the document, but that was OK because she _______________________ it. SIGN
5) Edgar _____________________________the taxi because his sister offered to give him a lift. GET
6) He ______________________________ the wall because the view was the same as from the
ground. CLIMB
7) I finished work earlier so you ______________________________ for me. WAIT
8) It was her day off the day before yesterday, that's why she ______________________________ up
so early. WAKE
9) I ______________________________ to go into the gallery. It was free. PAY
10) The weather was fine. I ______________________________ an umbrella. TAKE

Write four sentences with didn’t need to (x2) and needn’t have done (x2) below
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