You need (to) say nothing about it

1

You ______ nothing about it.
(A) need say
(B) don’t need to say
(C) need to say
(D) need not to say
Source: Ting-Chi Tang in English Question Box: An Introduction to Linguistic Analysis of English , p246.

The answer is option A. Is option C also acceptable?

2 Likes
2

A and C have the same meaning. So, yes C is acceptable.

1 Like
3

I think (C) is the best answer.
(A) is awkward in my opinion.

“You don’t need to say anything about it.” is much better than any of the choices provided.

Or as an imperative:

“Don’t say anything about it.”

2 Likes
4

I agree, because according to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, ‘You need not say so’ dates back to 1921. Therefore it’s use is a bit old-fashioned. Mind you, I don’t think being old-fashioned is wrong. However, I do prefer ‘You don’t need to say anything about it.’

1 Like
5

Another old fashioned one I’ve heard is “have needs to”.

1 Like
6

I’ve never heard of it. But now I know what it means. Thank you, NN.

7

We know that the verb need can be used as an auxiliary (modal) and as a main verb.
When used as an auxiliary, we do not use the particle to.
So, the question can have two answers depending on how you want to treat the verb.
If treated as an auxiliary, Option A will be correct. If as a main verb, Option C will be correct.
American English uses the verb (need) mostly as a DO-verb, so we find Option C as the most common answer.
In English, need say and need not say are modal expressions whereas need to say and do/does not need to say are verbal expressions in the present tense.

1 Like
8

How nice to read/hear you again, Lawrence.

1 Like
9

According to modern grammar C, but A is in my experience the normal way to say it. The phrase is a bit of an idiom.

1 Like
10

Thank you, Marc.

1 Like
11

You’re welcome. I’ve missed you.

12

To change the subject, here is another odd wording that you don’t hear too often. (Maybe there should be a place to make a list of these.)

For to
I went to the store for to buy some bread.

I heard this in a song recently. It’s not just creative writing for song lyrics. I do hear people say this on rare occasions. It’s regional in the US.

Lyrics from If I Needed You by Townes Van Zandt

If I needed you
would you come to me,
would you come to me,
and ease my pain?
If you needed me
I would come to you
I would swim the seas
for to ease your pain

1 Like