what needs done

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase 'what needs done' is not correct in written English.
Instead, the phrase should be written as 'what needs to be done.' For example: "Let's review all the tasks that need to be done before the deadline."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

News & Media

Wiki

Academia

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

5 human-written examples

"We will do what needs done".

The New York Times

I already knew the rules: Do what needs done, cover for each other, the customer is always right. .

Huffington Post

Despite the absolute crushing pain I'll be feeling inside, the emotional torment of leaving my newborn, I'll have to dig deep for superhuman strength and try to do what needs done.

HuffPost

Write down what needs done and approximately how long it will take, giving a little bit of extra time for any unplanned complications.

WikiHow

However, if you take some time on Friday to tie up what needs done for the week, you won't have it hanging over your head come Monday morning.

WikiHow

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

55 human-written examples

What needs do you see?

The New York Times

They were busy doing what needs doing.

The New York Times

What needs does it meet?

The Guardian - Opinion

Overview | What needs do various school populations have?

The New York Times

So start with an inventory of what needs doing this year.

The New York Times

What needs doing right now, in a few hours or left to the next shift.

BMJ Open

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Always use the grammatically correct form, "what needs to be done", in formal writing to ensure clarity and professionalism.

Common error

Don't omit the "to be" when using this phrase. Omitting it creates a grammatically incorrect sentence that can confuse readers.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "what needs done" attempts to function as a noun phrase, identifying tasks or actions that are required. Ludwig AI identifies it as grammatically incorrect. The correct form is "what needs to be done".

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

20%

Wiki

20%

Academia

20%

Less common in

Science

20%

Formal & Business

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, while the phrase "what needs done" might be understood in casual conversation, it is grammatically incorrect. Ludwig AI reports that this phrase should be written as "what needs to be done". For formal writing, it's best to use the corrected form or alternative phrases such as "what has to be done" or "what must be done" to maintain clarity and professionalism. Although some examples can be found in news and media, academic, and wiki sources, its usage is infrequent, and its grammatical status is considered incorrect.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

what needs to be done

This is the grammatically correct version of the original phrase, adding the necessary 'to be' for proper construction.

what has to be done

This alternative emphasizes obligation or necessity, replacing 'needs' with 'has to'.

what must be done

A more formal version indicating a strong obligation, substituting 'needs' with 'must'.

what is required

Focuses on the requirement aspect, avoiding the 'done' construction entirely.

what is necessary

Similar to 'what is required', but emphasizes the essential nature of the actions.

what actions are needed

This alternative specifies 'actions' and uses 'needed' to describe their state.

what tasks are required

Replaces 'done' with 'tasks' to highlight the specific work items.

the necessary steps

This focuses on the 'steps' that are required, changing the structure significantly.

the required actions

Similar to 'what actions are needed' but more concise.

what's on the agenda

This alternative frames the necessary actions as items on a list or schedule.

FAQs

What's the grammatically correct way to say "what needs done"?

The grammatically correct way to phrase this is "what needs to be done". This adheres to standard English sentence structure.

Is "what needs done" ever acceptable?

While not grammatically correct, "what needs done" might be heard in informal speech in certain regional dialects. However, it is best to avoid it in formal writing or professional communication.

What can I say instead of "what needs done"?

You can use alternatives like "what has to be done", "what must be done", or "what is required" depending on the context.

How do I use "what needs to be done" in a sentence?

You can use "what needs to be done" as a noun phrase. For example: "Let's discuss what needs to be done to complete this project."