be needed to do

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "be needed to do" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use this phrase to indicate that something needs to happen before something else can take place. For example: "Proper training will be needed to do this task correctly."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Academia

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

28 human-written examples

Many experts believe that human beings will still be needed to do the jobs that require higher-order critical, creative, and innovative thinking and the jobs that require high emotional engagement to meet the needs of other human beings.

Harvard Business Review

What technology would be needed to do it?

The New York Times

A change on gay marriage would be needed to do that.

The Guardian

That would be a good thing, although as he points out, political and security reforms would be needed to do so.

The New York Times

And now we can go into a game with the Rams, a game where the offense probably will be needed to do some things, with more confidence".

The New York Times - Sports

It is up to social work to increase that level of understanding – and a certain amount of bravery will be needed to do this.

The Guardian

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

32 human-written examples

Not going to be needing to do anything.

TechCrunch

Jason Bordoff: Policy tools are that are needed to do that.

Columbia University

What was needed to do something like this in physics?

Cornell University

Some basic computer programming knowledge is needed to do this.

Harvard University

Four spacecraft are needed to do this.

BBC

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "be needed to do" when specifying a prerequisite action for achieving a particular outcome. For example, "Additional funding will be needed to do the research properly".

Common error

Avoid using "be needed to do" when an active voice construction is more direct and clear. For instance, instead of "Extensive testing is be needed to do so", consider saying "Extensive testing is necessary".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "be needed to do" functions as an infinitive phrase, indicating that a particular action or effort is required to achieve a specific goal or outcome. As confirmed by Ludwig, the phrase is grammatically correct and usable in written English.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

32%

Science

32%

Academia

14%

Less common in

Wiki

8%

Formal & Business

4%

Social Media

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "be needed to do" is a grammatically sound and commonly used expression to indicate that something is required or necessary for a specific purpose. As affirmed by Ludwig, this phrase is versatile, appearing in contexts ranging from News & Media to scientific research and academic discourse. While it's generally acceptable, writers should consider more direct alternatives for enhanced clarity. When writing, remember to use this phrase to specify a prerequisite action, but be cautious of unnecessary passive voice. The phrase's neutral register makes it suitable for various types of communication, with adjustments for formality when required.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

be required to perform

Replaces "do" with "perform" for a slightly more formal tone.

be necessary to execute

Substitutes "needed" with "necessary" and "do" with "execute", resulting in a more formal and precise expression.

be essential to accomplish

Emphasizes the importance by using "essential" and replaces "do" with "accomplish", adding a touch of formality.

be crucial to undertake

Highlights the critical nature with "crucial" and replaces "do" with "undertake", making it slightly more emphatic.

be vital for completing

Uses "vital" to stress importance and replaces "do" with "completing", shifting the focus to the completion of the task.

be important to carry out

Substitutes "needed" with "important" and "do" with "carry out", providing a simpler alternative.

be significant to achieve

Replaces "needed" with "significant" and "do" with "achieve", emphasizing the result.

have to be done

This alternative is in passive form, changing the sentence structure.

need to be carried out

This alternative is also in passive form, changing the sentence structure and replacing "do" with "carried out".

must be performed

Expresses obligation using "must" and is also in passive form, replacing "needed" with a stronger sense of requirement and changing the sentence structure.

FAQs

How can I rephrase "be needed to do" to sound more formal?

To sound more formal, you can replace "be needed to do" with alternatives like "be required to perform" or "be necessary to execute", depending on the context.

What's the difference between "be needed to do" and "have to do"?

"Be needed to do" emphasizes necessity as a prerequisite, while "have to do" simply expresses obligation. For example, "More resources will be needed to do the job effectively" focuses on resources as a requirement, whereas "We have to do the job effectively" focuses on the obligation to complete it.

Is it ever incorrect to use the phrase "be needed to do"?

While grammatically correct, using "be needed to do" can sometimes lead to wordy sentences. Consider whether a more direct construction, such as "is necessary to do", would improve clarity.

What are some less formal alternatives to "be needed to do"?

Less formal alternatives include "have to be done" or simply "need to be done", which are suitable for more casual contexts.