need not have | needn’t have + PAST PARTICPLE

In the English Grammar Profile, C1 point 205 in MODALITY is defined as:

PAST, NEGATIVE: ‘needn’t have’ + ‘-ed

It means that somebody did something, but it was not necessary.  Also, note that uncontracted ‘not’ is possible.


Here are two examples:

You needn’t have come so far, Asgardian.

listen

In factshe need not have hurried.

TED

Well, we needn’t have worried.


A search in iWeb:

need n't have _VVN

1 NEEDN’T HAVE WORRIED 895
2 NEEDN’T HAVE BOTHERED 117
3 NEEDN’T HAVE FEARED 15
4 NEEDN’T HAVE HAPPENED 11
5 NEEDN’T HAVE LOOKED 9
6 NEEDN’T HAVE FRETTED 9
7 NEEDN’T HAVE DIED 7
8 NEEDN’T HAVE TAKEN 7
9 NEEDN’T HAVE SPENT 6
10 NEEDN’T HAVE GONE 6

*we can see this is a very rare structure.

Leave a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *