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Kekel Posted 19 years ago
Grammar

didn't need to / needn't have - what's the difference??

1font00Hello folks!! My first question here!! Does anybody know the difference in meaning of this two sentences??02font02br
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01b01i01font00I did'nt need to buy a dictionary.02font02i02b02br
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01b01i01font00I needn't have bought a dictionary.02font02i02b02br
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01font00I hope anyone can help me!!02font02br
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01font00Cheers02font0-
  

Top answer

02i 02br 00= I didn't have to buy a dictionary. I didn't buy a dictionary because I managed without one; perhaps I borrowed a dictionary from a library or somebody lent me one. 02i 02br 00= It would not have been necessary for me to buy a dictionary, but I did.

— Cool Breeze

  • 02i 02br 00= I didn't have to buy a dictionary.
  • I didn't buy a dictionary because I managed without one; perhaps I borrowed a dictionary from a library or somebody lent me one.
  • 02i 02br 00= It would not have been necessary for me to buy a dictionary, but I did.
  • I bought a dictionary but I would have managed without one.
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20 Answers
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0 Hi Kekel02br
02br
01i00I didn't need to buy a dictionary.02i02br
00= I didn't have to buy a dictionary. I didn't buy a dictionary because I managed without one; perhaps I borrowed a dictionary from a library or somebody lent me one. Anyway, I didn't buy one.02br
02br
01i00I needn't have bought a dictionary.02i0
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1font01b00I 01u00did'nt02u00 (02b00 01b00should be 01i00didn't 02i00) need to buy a dictionary.02b02font02br
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01b01font00I needn't have bought a dictionary.02font02b02br
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01b
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0 The meaning of the first must be further clarified by context:02br
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01i00I didn't need to buy a dictionary, 01b00but 02b00I did. 02br
02i00I didn't need to buy a dictionary, 01b00so02b00 I didn't. 0-
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1font00Thanks a lot, folks!! 02font02br
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01font00Now I understood the difference between the two sentences!! And sorry for the misspelled of the auxiliary verb in the negative (although I typed right in the subject line!! 05000)02font02br
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0 nice explanations !! thx 0-
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01cite10Kekel12cite11font10PS: 12font11font11font10CB, so you have already been to Rio!! That's very nice!! 12font10I guess you enjoyed it, as you have been here twice!! 15112font11font10
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1font00I didn't notice there is a topic here about Brazil! 02font02br
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01font00Thanks a lot, CB!!02font02br
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01font00Cheers02font0-
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the previous answers are right but there is mistake in the grammar that you use

I didn't need to buy a dictionary ( I didn't need it thats why i didn't buy it)

I needn't have to buy a dictionary NOT bought,, we use the infinitive of the verb not his 3rd form

( Why i had to buy this dictionary when i don't need it )

Alex
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Sorry Alex, but you're incorrect. I can assure you, as a native speaker of English and as a teacher of English as a second language, that "I needn't have bought a dictionary" is indeed correct.

Claire
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Yes, I agree with you. "I needn't have bought a dictionary" is indeed correct.
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