66 Need - Auxiliary Use

The verb Need can both be used as an Auxiliary and Ordinary verb.

Auxiliary or semi-modal use of Need is used mostly in formal contexts.

We usually find this structure in its three forms:

Affirmative form

The structure for Affirmative form is as follows:
Subject + auxiliary verb (need)* + complement.

Negative form

The structure for Negative form is as follows:
Subject + auxiliary verb (need)* + not + complement.

Interrogative form

The structure for Interrogative form is as follows:
Auxiliary verb (need)* + subject + complement + (?).

*The form is always the same, even for the third person.

Below are some characteristics of this verb:

• Accompanies the main verb;
• When followed by another action, this should be expressed as infinite without “to”;
• It doesn’t need “-s” for the third person singular;
• Mainly used in interrogative and negative form (without the auxiliary verb “do”);
• We almost always use a negative word (e.g. no one, nobody, nothing) or phrase in the clause, even if the verb phrase is affirmative;
• Need as a modal verb is not very widely used.

• No one need think that physics is unnecessary.
• We need worry about the crisis.
• We need not worry about the crisis.
• Need we worry about the crisis?

When Need is used as a modal auxiliary verb, it is mostly used in formal context and there is low chance that we see this form in daily life.

We can use Need as an auxiliary and as an ordinary verb. When used as an auxiliary verb, we have to remember that it accompanies the main verb, does not need “to” if an infinitive follows, does not require the ending “-s” when we are using the third person singular and is mainly used in the Negative and Interrogative forms (without having to have the auxiliary verb “do”).

• Affirmative: Subject + auxiliary verb (need)* + complement (e.g. I need to go.);
• Negative: Subject + auxiliary verb (need)* + not + complement (e.g. I don’t need to go.);
• Interrogative: Auxiliary verb (need)* + subject + complement + (?) (e.g. Need I go?).

For example:
— “Nobody need that book.” = We do not use “-s” when we are using the third person singular.

Let’s revise this content within the [Form] section. Take a look at the [Example] section that shows its use within a context.