This document provides examples to distinguish between the phrases "didn't need to" and "needn't have" when referring to past actions. It gives 5 examples where the correct phrase is underlined. It then provides 4 sentences with mistakes and asks the reader to correct the mistakes. The purpose is to illustrate the proper usage of these conditional phrases in different contexts.

1. DIDN’T NEED TO OR DIDN’T HAVE TO / NEEDN’T HAVE
Underline the correct form.
1. I went but I found out afterwards that it wasn’t necessary.
I didn’t need to go / needn’t have gone.
2. John phoned me and told me he wasn’t coming so it wasn’t necessary to pick him
up.
I didn’t need to pick him up / I needn’t have picked him up.
3. Mary paid a lot of money for a ticket, but then her boyfriend gave her one.
She didn’t need to buy the ticket / She needn’t have bought the ticket.
4. Arthur was going to buy a bicycle, but then a friend gave him one.
He didn’t need to buy a bicycle / He needn’t have bought a bicycle.
5. Elisabeth bought a book, but afterwards found out that it wasn’t necessary for her
course.
She needn’t have bought the book / She didn’t need to buy the book.
Correct the mistakes in these sentences.
1. Peter told me they had enough wine, so I didn’t need to brought any wine to the
party.
2. Valerie’s car was covered in mud, so she hosed it off. But then it rained very hard
so in fact she needn’t have to wash her car.
3. They called off the meeting so I didn’t have to travelled to Berne.
4. I needn’t have to take so many euros to France because everywhere accepted
credit cards.