Alexey86
Senior Member
- Joined
- Nov 3, 2018
- Member Type
- Student or Learner
- Native Language
- Russian
- Home Country
- Russian Federation
- Current Location
- Russian Federation
Hello! Could you, please, help me to clarify the meaning of the phrases "It doesn't need to be done like this/It doesn't have to be done like this"? And in particular:
1) Do they refer to the past, the present or the future? As I know the structure "smth needs/has to be done" implies that "smth" hasn't been done yet now and will be done in the future. But it seems to me that adding "like this" changes time reference and points to the present or the past. For instance, a) I've completed my job task, and my boss sees the result and says It doesn't need/have to be done like this. Or, b) I'm in the process of doing the task, and my boss sees how wrong I'm doing it and says the same.
Or would he say in case "b" "It doesn't need/have to be/being doing like this"?
2) What the difference in meaning between the variants with "need" and "has" in my instances above? Since "has to do/to be done" provides the meaning of obligation/duty, etc, it's pretty clear for me that "It doesn't have to be done like this" may mean that smth has been done in breach of the requirements. But what does variant with "need" may mean in my particular instances? I've heard "don't need'' may express speaker's care/worry, annoyance/irritation or threat depend on context, e.g.:"You don't need to walk in the rain, you may get sick" (= care), "You don't need to come any closer, I will hit you" (= threat), "You don't need to come again, I'm tired of you" (= annoyance).
May "need" provide some of these meanings in the work task context above?
1) Do they refer to the past, the present or the future? As I know the structure "smth needs/has to be done" implies that "smth" hasn't been done yet now and will be done in the future. But it seems to me that adding "like this" changes time reference and points to the present or the past. For instance, a) I've completed my job task, and my boss sees the result and says It doesn't need/have to be done like this. Or, b) I'm in the process of doing the task, and my boss sees how wrong I'm doing it and says the same.
Or would he say in case "b" "It doesn't need/have to be/being doing like this"?
2) What the difference in meaning between the variants with "need" and "has" in my instances above? Since "has to do/to be done" provides the meaning of obligation/duty, etc, it's pretty clear for me that "It doesn't have to be done like this" may mean that smth has been done in breach of the requirements. But what does variant with "need" may mean in my particular instances? I've heard "don't need'' may express speaker's care/worry, annoyance/irritation or threat depend on context, e.g.:"You don't need to walk in the rain, you may get sick" (= care), "You don't need to come any closer, I will hit you" (= threat), "You don't need to come again, I'm tired of you" (= annoyance).
May "need" provide some of these meanings in the work task context above?