NEEDN’T HAVE DONE/DID NOT NEEED TO DO Carmen María Fernández Rodríguez EOI A Coruña
When we say that someone needn't have done something, it means that they did it, but it was not necessary.
You needn't have washed the dishes. I would've put them in the dishwasher (You washed the dishes though it was not necessary). I needn't have prepared all that food. They phoned to say they wouldn't be coming (You prepared the food though they wouldn’t be coming).
We use didn't need to to say that something was not done:
The sun came out so we didn't need to take any rainwear on the trip (we did not take any rainwear). We had plenty of petrol in the tank so I didn't need to fill up (we didn’t fill up). We didn't need to wait for long for them. They arrived just after us (we did not wait for hours). CHOOSE THE BEST OPTION 1. I didn't confirm because they had said we _______ it once we'd got the tickets. Didn’t need, didn’t need to, needn’t have done, should not have done 2. I felt so stupid! I spent hours doing it and then they told me I ____________. needn't have bothered, didn't need to bother, needed bothering, should not have bothered 3. I love them! Thanks a lot, but you _______________ me flowers, though. didn't need to bring, needn't have brought, did not bring, would not have brought 4. They warned us she did not admit any present. We ___________ her flowers then. didn’t need to give, need not have given, should not give, would not give. 5. He __________ long for a response. His boss took a decision quickly. Did not need to wait, needn’t have to wait, needn’t wait, did not have to wait 6. The event organizers expected the bad weather to affect the ticket sales. However, they _____________, as every ticket was sold. need not have worried, did not have to worry, did not dare to worry, would not worry 7. When we got to the station, we found that the train was half an hour late, so we ______________ after all needn’t have rushed, did not need to rush, could not have rushed, must not have rushed 8. Peter had told us the train would be late, so we __________ to the station.
needn’t have rushed, did not need to rush, could not have rushed, must not have rushed. 9. Fortunately, he wasn’t badly hurt in the accident, so he ____________ to hospital. Needn’t have gone, didn’t need to go, should have gone, might have gone. 10. The house was in good condition when I bought it, so I ____________ before I moved in. didn’t need to decorate, needn’t have decorated, should not have decorated, can’t have decorated 11. I sat up studying all night and then it turned out that the exam was quiet easy, so I ____________ all time revising. needn’t have spent, did not need to spend, should not have spent, could not have spent. 12. I knew the exam would be quite easy. I _____________ all night studying. needn’t have spent, did not need to spend, should not have spent, could not have spent. 13. I ____________my jacket to the concert because I knew it would be so warm, so I left it at home. didn’t need to take, needn’t have taken, would not take, need not take 14. I felt so stupid! I ____________ my jacket to the concert. I had no idea it would be so warm. didn’t need to take, needn’t have taken, would not take, need not take 15. I know it was Saint Valentine’s Day, but I felt I __________her flowers to say I loved her. didn’t need to buy, needn’t have bought, did not have to buy, would rather not buy
ANSWERS- CHOOSE THE BEST OPTION 1. I didn't confirm because they had said we didn’t need to do it once we'd got the tickets. 2. I felt so stupid! I spent hours doing it and then they told me I needn’t have bothered. 3. I love them! Thanks a lot, but you needn’t have brought me flowers, though. 4. They warned us she did not admit any present. We didn’t need to give her flowers then. 5. He did not need to wait long for a response. His boss took a decision quickly. 6. The event organizers expected the bad weather to affect the ticket sales. However, they need not have worried, as every ticket was sold. 7. When we got to the station, we found that the train was half an hour late, so we needn’t have rushed after all 8. Peter had told us the train would be late, so we didn’t need to rush to the station. 9. Fortunately, he wasn’t badly hurt in the accident, so he didn’t need to go to hospital. 10. The house was in good condition when I bought it, so I didn’t need to decorate before I moved in. 11. I sat up studying all night and then it turned out that the exam was quiet easy, so I needn’t have spent all time revising. 12. I knew the exam would be quite easy. I didn’t need to spend all night studying. 13. I didn’t need to take my jacket to the concert because I knew it would be so warm, so I left it at home. 14. I felt so stupid! I needn’t have taken my jacket to the concert. I had no idea it would be so warm. 15. I know it was Saint Valentine’s Day, but I felt I didn’t need to buy her flowers to say I loved her.