This modal verb may be either a defective
or a regular verb. As a defective verb “Need”
has only on form and combines with a bare infinitive. For example:
Need I do it?
You needn’t do it just now.
In the reported speech it remains
unchanged,
As a regular verb it has the Past Simple
form ”Needed” and regular negative and
interrogative forms .The regular form is used mainly when the following
infinitive denotes habitual action. For example:
You don’t need to say it every time
you see him.
It is used to express:
- Necessity/mainly used in questions and
negative sentences/
Do you need to work hard?
Need she come tomorrow?
She needn’t go there today He is
ill.
- When followed by a perfect infinitive
“need” indicates that the action expressed by the infinitive was
performed but was not necessary.
You needn’t have spent all the
money.
She needn’t have left her child
alone.
