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Boymeetsagirl Posted 16 years ago
Grammar
"need have called" vs. "had needed to call" any difference?
Here is an example.
Mary waited for ages but he didn't come.
She thought that if he wouldn't come, he need have called her to inform his not coming.
In this case, can I write like this?
"She thought that if he wouldn't come, he had needed to call her to inform his not coming."
Is there any difference in those two expressions?
and,
Of two phrases, which way should be more popular?
please, help me, would you~?!
Mary waited for ages but he didn't come.
She thought that if he wouldn't come, he need have called her to inform his not coming.
In this case, can I write like this?
"She thought that if he wouldn't come, he had needed to call her to inform his not coming."
Is there any difference in those two expressions?
and,
Of two phrases, which way should be more popular?
please, help me, would you~?!
Top answer
The first is wrong-- 'need' as a pseudu-auxiliary cannot be used in affirmative statements. But neither sentence is right anyway. Use this: She thought that if wasn't going to come, he needed to call and tell her first.
- The first is wrong-- 'need' as a pseudu-auxiliary cannot be used in affirmative statements.
- But neither sentence is right anyway.
- Use this: She thought that if wasn't going to come, he needed to call and tell her first.
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1 Answers
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The first is wrong-- 'need' as a pseudu-auxiliary cannot be used in affirmative statements.
But neither sentence is right anyway. Use this:
She thought that if wasn't going to come, he needed to call and tell her first.
But neither sentence is right anyway. Use this:
She thought that if wasn't going to come, he needed to call and tell her first.
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