LEVEL 4

Necessity: didn’t need to /

needn’t have

© Cambridge University Press 2017

didn’t need to

I didn’t need to buy a protective case.

(I had one already, so I didn’t buy one.)

We didn’t need to plug the laptop in.

(It had enough battery time left, so I didn’t plug it in.)

© Cambridge University Press 2017

needn’t have

He needn’t have upgraded his system.

(He upgraded the system, but it wasn’t necessary.)

We needn’t have bought a new tablet.

(We bought a new tablet, but our old one was just as good.)

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GET IT RIGHT!

I needn’t to have handed that

homework in today.

to me dinner
Mum didn’t need cook
today because I ate at school.

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
Language in action
Lexi: How is your computer class, Gran?
didn’t need to take cash to pay the
Gran: Oh, it’s great! This term I _____________
teacher – I transferred the money online!
didn’t need to call me to check
Lexi: Wow, Gran – that’s amazing! You ____________
how to do it either. Did you make notes in class?
needn’t have made notes, because I remembered
Gran: Yes, I did, but I ___________
what to do.
needn’t
Lexi: That’s so good. I thought it would be hard for you, but I _______
have
____ worried. Next you’ll be posting updates and streaming videos!

© Cambridge University Press 2017

Respond to these situations.
I bought a new charger and then I found the one I’d lost!
“You needn’t have bought a new charger.”
I saw all my friends last night so I didn’t post an update.
I didn’t need to post an update because I saw all my friends last night.
Mum watered the artificial flowers before she realised they weren’t real!
She needn’t have watered the flowers!
My friend showed me how to connect to his wi-fi, but I knew how to do it!
He didn’t need to show me how to connect the wi-fi – I already knew.

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Can you remember the rules?
We use didn’t need to and needn’t have to talk about the past necessity of actions.
There is a small but important difference between the structures.
didn’t need to usually suggests that we didn’t do something because it wasn’t
necessary.

We didn’t need to go to the stadium because it was on TV. (We didn’t go.)

We form the construction with did + need + to infinitive.

I didn’t need to see the doctor. (I didn’t see the doctor.)

© Cambridge University Press 2017

Can you remember the rules?
needn’t have means that we did something but actually it wasn’t
necessary.
I needn’t have cooked all this food – only four people came to the party.
(We cooked a lot of food but it wasn’t necessary.)

She needn’t have taken an umbrella. It’s sunny today.

(She brought an umbrella but it wasn’t necessary.)

We form the construction with need + not + have.

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The birthday presents

Natasha

Anna

Martha

Dennis Julia Jo
Kate
Alex

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The shopping
trip
chemist’s

a pair of restaurant

trainers shoe
shop
bookshop

some books bakery

sport
supermarkets

an MP3
shop

department store

player cinema clothes shop

a cake
some pens newsagent’s

a red T-shirt
a tennis
racket © Cambridge University Press 2017
Who needs Superman?!
I saved you from falling.
I prefer you with your glasses on.

I flew you to New York. I like doing my homework.

I wore my special suit. I can look after myself.

I like your normal clothes.

I took my glasses off.

I could have got there myself.

I rescued you from Mrs Bolt’s
homework club.
Superman: I saved you from falling.
You: You needn’t have saved me. I can look after myself.
© Cambridge University Press 2017
Acknowledgements
The authors and publishers acknowledge the following sources of copyright material and
are grateful for the permissions granted. While every effort has been made, it has not
always been possible to identify the sources of all the material used, or to trace all
copyright holders. If any omissions are brought to our notice, we will be happy to include
the appropriate acknowledgements on reprinting and in the next update to the digital
edition, as applicable.
The publishers are grateful to the following for permission to reproduce copyright
photographs and material:
Slide 11: ©BJI/Blue Jean Images/Getty Images
The publishers are grateful to the following illustrators:
Christos Skaltsas (Slide 10) and Zaharias Papadopoulos (Slide 9) at hyphen.
Written by Emma Szlachta
© Cambridge University Press 2017