"need not" or "do not need"
Should I say:

"I need not it"

or

"I don't need it"

and if both are correct, what's more natural?

Another question: What if I want to talk about past or future? Should I say "I didn't need it" and "I won't need it"?

Thanks.

Question

"need not" or "do not need"
Should I say:

"I need not it"

or

"I don't need it"

and if both are correct, what's more natural?

Another question: What if I want to talk about past or future? Should I say "I didn't need it" and "I won't need it"?

Thanks.

Answer

Hi

Answer

Hi Joaquin,
Need can be used as a normal verb or as a modal.
If you use it as a normal verb you can use in the past, present and future: "didn't need to",  "don't need to" and "won't need to" + bare infinitive (infinite without to). Example: "you don't need to buy wine, we have it at home".
If you use it as a modal you can use in present form: "you needn't worry about that" = you don't need to worry about that.
In the past is used in this form "need+have+past participle": "you needn't have bought wine as we have it" = you shouldn't have bought wine as we have it.
Need as modal is not used in the future form.

Answer

If you have a beginning grammar book, it should cover this in the first 10 or 15 pages.

If you don't have a grammar book, ef.com has easy-to-understand material.

https://www.ef.com/ca/english-resources/english-grammar/verbs/

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