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Justyna Jupowicz-Kozak quote

Justyna Jupowicz-Kozak

CEO of Professional Science Editing for Scientists @ prosciediting.com

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that wasn't needed

Grammar usage guide and real-world examples

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

7 human-written examples

"It just was something that wasn't needed".

News & Media

The New York Times

"It's just disappointing he came out and said something that wasn't needed.

News & Media

Independent

During the descent to the surface, a rendezvous radar that wasn't needed had been turned on, and required just enough of the primitive (approximately 72 kB of memory and 1 MHz of processing speed!) Apollo Guidance Computer's processing power that it overloaded the AGC and prevented other, more vital jobs like landing the lunar module (LM from completing.

News & Media

Forbes

The new program resulted in mechanics and service managers over-billing customers, charging for work that wasn't performed and charging for work that wasn't needed.

News & Media

HuffPost

I thought at first that I always needed to be able to give them the solution, but I realized that actually that wasn't needed at all.

News & Media

The New York Times

Those incubators and accelerators bring experienced businesspeople together with founders and that wasn't needed as much in the past.

News & Media

Forbes
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Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

53 human-written examples

About $111 million is left from $320 million in aid that was not needed for Afghan refugees.

News & Media

The New York Times

Apart from this risk, the patient is additionally administered an excess amount of drug that was not needed.

One of the choppers carried equipment that was not needed.

News & Media

Huffington Post

"In this workshop, they're playing with making something that isn't needed -- and often when you make something that isn't needed you realize that you needed it after all.

She stashes suitcases and other items that aren't needed regularly on top of high cupboards.

News & Media

The New York Times
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Expert writing Tips

Best practice

In formal academic or legal writing, prefer the uncontracted "that was not needed" to maintain a professional tone.

Common error

Avoid using "that wasn't needed" when referring to a current or future requirement. If the lack of necessity is ongoing, use "that isn't needed" instead.

Antonio Rotolo, PhD - Digital Humanist | Computational Linguist | CEO @Ludwig.guru

Antonio Rotolo, PhD

Digital Humanist | Computational Linguist | CEO @Ludwig.guru

Source & Trust

77%

Authority and reliability

4.6/5

Expert rating

Real-world application tested

Linguistic Context

The phrase "that wasn't needed" acts as a restrictive relative clause that provides essential information about a preceding noun. In Ludwig, examples show it typically follows a noun representing an object, action, or amount, serving to define that noun by its lack of utility in a past context.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

45%

Wiki

30%

Science

15%

Less common in

Academia

5%

Formal & Business

3%

Legal

2%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "that wasn't needed" is a common and correct relative clause used to describe things that lacked necessity in the past. Analysis of Ludwig data shows it is a staple in investigative journalism to point out overspending or errors, and in instructional guides to help users remove clutter. While the phrase is grammatically solid, writers should be mindful of the distinction between past and present necessity to ensure the correct tense is used. For more formal documentation, substituting the contraction with "that was not needed" or choosing a precise adjective like "unnecessary" can enhance the professional tone of the writing.

FAQs

Is "that wasn't needed" grammatically correct?

Yes, "that wasn't needed" is perfectly correct. It uses the relative pronoun "that" followed by a past tense passive construction. You can also use "that was not needed" for more formal contexts.

When should I use "that wasn't needed" vs "that isn't needed"?

Use "that wasn't needed" for events in the past, such as "I brought an umbrella that wasn't needed". Use "that isn't needed" for current situations, like "Please remove any software that isn't needed".

What is a more formal way to say "that wasn't needed"?

A more formal alternative is "that was unnecessary" or "which was superfluous" depending on the specific nuance you want to convey.

Can I use "which wasn't needed" instead?

Yes, "which wasn't needed" is often interchangeable, though "which" is typically used for non-restrictive clauses that provide extra, non-essential information.

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Source & Trust

77%

Authority and reliability

4.6/5

Expert rating

Real-world application tested

Most frequent sentences: