what is need

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "what is need" is not correct in standard written English.
It seems to be an incomplete or incorrect form of "what is needed" or "what is necessary." Example: "In this situation, what is needed is a clear plan of action to move forward."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

5 human-written examples

"What is need, and what greed?

The New York Times

And while Mr Cameron's clinging to the restoration of dredging, as a simple, silver bullet answer – against much expert scientific advice – it's clear that what is need is detailed whole catchment management planning right across England and Wales.

Independent

Only after millions of women had taken Enovid - and thousands had died or had been disabled by blood clots - was it discovered that the amount of hormones in the Pill was 10 times what is need for contraception.

The New York Times - Health

It sounds like a war cry because that is precisely what is need of the hour sometimes.

Huffington Post

What is need instead is a new form of hybrid governance that responds to the challenges Orbán has raised about the dysfunction of liberal democracy".

Huffington Post

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

54 human-written examples

What is needed politically?

The New York Times

What is needed and what is made?

The New Yorker

What is needed is leadership.

Independent

So what is needed?

The Guardian

No. What is needed is openness.

The New Yorker

What is needed is a teraflop machine.

The New Yorker

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Avoid using the phrase "what is need" in formal writing. Instead, use grammatically correct alternatives such as "what is needed", "what is necessary", or "what is required".

Common error

Using "what is need" omits the auxiliary verb needed to form a passive construction. Always ensure the verb "need" is correctly conjugated (e.g., "needed") when expressing necessity.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "what is need" functions as an interrogative phrase that attempts to identify a requirement or necessity. However, it's grammatically incomplete, as evidenced by Ludwig AI, and typically requires correction to a form like "what is needed" or "what is necessary".

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

100%

Less common in

Science

0%

Formal & Business

0%

Social Media

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, while the phrase "what is need" aims to inquire about a requirement, it's grammatically incorrect. Ludwig AI indicates that the grammatically correct options include "what is needed", "what is necessary", or "what is required". It is best to avoid using "what is need" in formal contexts and to opt for grammatically sound alternatives. Predominantly found in News & Media sources, the phrase's rarity and grammatical issues contribute to its unsuitability for professional use.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

what is needed

Adds the "-ed" ending to transform "need" into a past participle, creating a passive voice construction.

what is necessary

Replaces the noun "need" with the adjective "necessary", providing a grammatically sound alternative.

what is required

Substitutes "need" with "required", offering a direct and grammatically correct synonym.

what is essential

Emphasizes the importance of the need by using the adjective "essential" instead of the noun "need".

what is vital

Replaces "need" with "vital", highlighting the critical nature of the requirement.

what is crucial

Uses the adjective "crucial" to stress the importance of the need.

what must be done

Focuses on the action that is necessary, shifting the emphasis from the need itself.

what should be done

Offers a suggestion for a necessary action, softening the tone compared to "must".

what is lacking

Highlights the absence of something necessary, rather than stating the need directly.

what is in demand

Expresses the need as a high level of demand for something, often in a commercial context.

FAQs

What is the correct way to say "what is need"?

The grammatically correct alternatives include "what is needed", "what is necessary", or "what is required", depending on the context.

Is "what is need" ever acceptable in writing?

While you might encounter "what is need" in informal speech or writing, it's best to avoid it in formal contexts. Instead, use options such as "what is needed" or "what is necessary".

What's the difference between "what is need" and "what is needed"?

"What is need" is grammatically incorrect. The correct form, "what is needed", uses the past participle of "need" to express something that is required or necessary.

Can I use other words instead of "needed" in "what is needed"?

Yes, you can use synonyms like "what is required", "what is essential", or "what is necessary" to convey a similar meaning.