needed to communicate

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "needed to communicate" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used when discussing the necessity of conveying information or messages in various contexts, such as personal, professional, or academic situations. Example: "In order to resolve the issue effectively, we needed to communicate our concerns clearly to the management."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Formal & Business

Encyclopedias

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

Analogously to human communication, a way is needed to communicate the state of the machine to an observer.

Robotics and Autonomous Systems

"We needed to communicate directly with our folks.

The New York Times

They needed to communicate in ways that didn't require privacy.

The New York Times - Magazine

We needed to communicate easily; not just programmers, but artists, animators and sound designers.

The Guardian

Crucially, the message also needed to communicate that it was about stopping all unwanted sexual behaviour.

The Guardian - Lifestyle

Edmonds's first task was to identify the exact people the party needed to communicate with.

The Guardian

If you needed "to communicate" with someone, you rang from a phone box or walked to their house.

The Guardian

For this tactic to work a rapid turnaround is obviously needed to communicate with audiences at high speed.

The Guardian

I lacked the tools I needed to communicate and behave in loving, respectful ways; to do poly right.

The Guardian - Lifestyle

The Queensland Liberal backbencher Wyatt Roy said he would support Turnbull because the government needed to communicate differently.

The Guardian

If you needed to communicate with the boss, you could reach him via B.B.M., BlackBerry's instant-messaging application.

The New Yorker

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "needed to communicate", ensure the context clearly indicates why communication was necessary. Providing this context strengthens the message and makes it more impactful.

Common error

Avoid simply stating that someone "needed to communicate" without mentioning how they communicated. Specify the method (e.g., "needed to communicate via email", "needed to communicate face-to-face") to provide clarity and avoid ambiguity.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "needed to communicate" functions as an infinitive phrase expressing purpose or reason. It typically follows a subject and verb, indicating the necessity for communication to achieve a specific goal or outcome. Ludwig examples show it indicating obligations.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

56%

Science

27%

Formal & Business

8%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

5%

Robotics and Autonomous Systems

1%

Journal of Software Engineering Research and Development

1%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "needed to communicate" is a versatile and commonly used phrase to express the necessity of conveying information. Ludwig AI indicates the phrase is grammatically sound and widely applicable across various contexts, including news, science, and business. When using this phrase, clarify the reason for the communication and how it was conducted to enhance the clarity of your writing. Consider alternatives like "required to communicate" or ""had to communicate"" to add variety to your language.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

required to communicate

Replaces "needed" with "required", emphasizing a formal obligation.

had to communicate

Substitutes "needed" with "had to", indicating a past necessity.

essential to communicate

Replaces "needed" with "essential", highlighting the critical importance of communication.

necessary to communicate

Uses "necessary" instead of "needed", conveying a similar sense of requirement.

it was important to communicate

Expresses the importance of communication, restructuring the sentence.

found it necessary to communicate

Highlights the realization of the necessity to communicate.

were compelled to communicate

Indicates that communication was driven by an external force or obligation.

communication was required

Changes the structure to emphasize that communication itself was a requirement.

we had a communication imperative

Introduces a noun phrase denoting the absolute necessity to communicate.

communication was indispensable

Highlights that communication was unavoidable and an integral part of a process.

FAQs

How can I use "needed to communicate" in a sentence?

You can use "needed to communicate" to express the necessity of conveying information. For example, "The team "needed to communicate" the changes to all stakeholders".

What's a formal alternative to "needed to communicate"?

A more formal alternative would be "required to communicate", which suggests a stronger obligation or necessity.

How does "needed to communicate" differ from "wanted to communicate"?

"Needed to communicate" implies a necessity or requirement, whereas "wanted to communicate" suggests a desire or preference. The former is about obligation, while the latter is about volition.

What can I say instead of "I "needed to communicate"" to avoid repetition?

Depending on the context, you could use phrases like "I "had to communicate"", "It was "important to communicate"", or "I "found it necessary to communicate"".