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Pedants' corner

Needs…?

(56 Posts)
Cabbie21 Tue 28-Mar-23 07:51:53

I have always said something needs doing eg This shirt needs washing, but nowadays I hear a past participle being used eg This shirt needs washed.
Are both correct?
The latter grates as I want to say “ needs to be washed”
Any thoughts please?

sodapop Fri 31-Mar-23 08:59:56

Just seen this, I won't give the context as it's a spoiler
" someone was sent to a wartery grave"
Death by warts ?

Romola Fri 31-Mar-23 10:34:21

What annoys me is people mistakenly using the subject pronoun "I " in combination with another person (e.g. my sister and I) when they are the direct or indirect objects in a sentence.
"He came to see my sister and I" is just wrong. Use the object pronoun "me"!
I think it's worse than "My sister and me" as the subject of a sentence: compare the disjunctive French pronoun "moi" as in "Ma soeur et moi, nous allons en ville."

Baggs Fri 31-Mar-23 10:46:35

Duvetdiva

I was going to say I’m quite tolerant about regional expressions until I read georgesmum quoting her Cheshire outlaws and now I must defend my neighbours as we definitely don’t speak like that in Cheshire!
However someone close to me from Lancashire often omits the word ‘the’ as in ‘it’s in garage’. But you can’t change the way people talk unless you start when they are young

Are you sure the Lancastrians aren't saying "in't garage" with a silent t?

ditto in parts of Yorkshire.

Caleo Fri 31-Mar-23 10:51:25

As elderly Edinburgh man said of the pear ripening on his window ledge "That pear needs eating".

Caleo Fri 31-Mar-23 10:55:52

Isn't there a popular song "Lay Lady, lay!" ?