Способы выражения необходимости ( necessity ) в английском языке

The modal verb need may be either a defective or a regular verb. As a defective verb need has only one form and combines with a bare infinitive. In reported speech it remains unchanged. As a regular verb it has the past indefinite form needed and regular negative and interrogative forms.

There is a slight difference in the usage of regular and irregular forms. The regular form is used mainly when the following infinitive denotes habitual action. The defective form is more common when one particular occasion is referred to:

Need I do it?

You needn’t do it just now.

The teacher said that we needn’t come.

Do I need to show my pass every time?

You don’t need to say it every time you see him.

Need I show you my pass now?

The defective form is mainly restricted to negative and interrogative sentences, whereas the regular verb can be used in all types of sentences and is therefore more common.

Need expresses necessity. It is mainly used in questions and negative statements, where it is a replacement for must or for have (got) to.

Do you need to work so hard (do you have to work so hard? Have you got to...).

It corresponds to the Russian нужно.

You needn’t do it now. Сейчас не нужно этого делать.

Need she come tomorrow? Ей нужно завтра приходить?

The negation is not always combined with the verb, but may be expressed by other parts of the sentence.

I don't think we need mention him at all.

I need hardly say that you are to blame.

In questions need is used when there is a strong element of negation or doubt or when the speaker expects a negative answer.

Need she go there? (hoping for a negative answer)

I wonder if I need go there, (statement of doubt)

In negative statements need followed by a perfect infinitive indicates that the action expressed by the infinitive was performed but was not necessary. It implies a waste of time or effort, and is therefore translated by зря, незачем, не к чему было.

You needn’t have spent all the money. Now we've got nothing left.

Зря ты потратил все деньги, не к чему было тратить....

We needn’t have waited for her because she never came at all.

Нечего было ее ждать. Она все равно не пришла.

The difference between the two forms of need in negative sentences is as follows: the regular verb indicates that the action was not done because it was unnecessary, whereas the defective verb shows that the action, although unnecessary, was carried out. Compare the following examples:

Didn’t need to do smth = It wasn’t necessary, so probably not done.

We didn’t need to say anything at all, which was a great comfort.

She didn’t need to open the drawer because it was already open.

Needn’t have done smth. = It was not necessary, but done nonetheless.

СПОСОБЫ ВЫРАЖЕНИЯ ПРОСЬБЫ И ПОЗВОЛЕНИЯ В АНГЛИЙСКОМ ЯЗЫКЕ

CAN, COULD

Permission.

Can we go home, Miss? Можно идти домой, мисс?

Не can go now. Теперь он может идти.

The teacher said we could go home. Учитель разрешил нам идти домой.

Can is now more common than may (or might) to express the idea permission

 Request.

Can you hold on a minute, please?

Can I have some water?

Can you put the meat in salted water?

Could suggests a greater degree of politeness:

Could you come again tomorrow?

MAY, MIGHT

May followed by the non-perfect common infinitive expresses:

Permission. In this usage it expresses the meaning to have permis­sion to, to be allowed to, to be permitted to.

You may go now (you are allowed to go).

May we leave this with you? (Are we allowed to...? Is it all right if we leave it here?)

In polite requests for permission might is used.

Might I use your telephone, please?

I wonder if I might borrow your book.

Can is now more common than may or migh t to express informally the idea of permission, but may is often used when talking of ourselves.

May/might I help you?

When the action was permitted and performed the expression was allowed to is preferable.

When translating the story we were allowed to use a dictionary, so I took a Longman new dictionary.

WILL, WOULD

A polite request or an offer. This meaning occurs only in questions.

Will you pass the salt, please?

Will you haw some tea?

In comparison with will the form would renders a greater degree of politeness.

Would you please pass the salt?

Would you please lend me your pencil?

It is still more polite to use the combinations: Would you mind (+ -ing form), Would you be so kind as to...

Would you be so kind as to lend me your book?