The Suitcase Audit (needn't have)

The Suitcase Audit

I needn't have bothered.

B2 · 60 minutes

In your bag

TASK In pairs. You have 90 seconds.

List everything that's always in your bag or pockets. The longest list wins.

1

Which thing on your list do you carry everywhere but almost never use?

2

Useful or useless?

TASK Zara, a travel blogger, spent six months abroad with one suitcase. In pairs: which three things does she say were useless?

a padlock

useful

useless

three warm jumpers

useful

useless

earplugs

useful

useless

a hairdryer

useful

useless

a big paper guidebook

useful

useless

a pack of cards

useful

useless

Six months, one suitcase

TASK Read Zara's blog post. Check your answers to "Useful or useless?".

Six months abroad, one suitcase, and far too much in it. Here is everything I packed, and what I really needed. By Zara

Three jumpers

"It might get cold," I told myself. It didn't. I needn't have packed three jumpers: it was 30 degrees every day, and 26 at midnight. They spent six months at the bottom of my suitcase and flew home unworn.

The SIM card

I'd planned to queue at the airport for a local SIM, but I didn't need to buy a SIM card: my host gave me her old one on my first evening. I didn't have to fill in a single form.

The hairdryer

Every flat and hostel I stayed in had one, usually a better one than mine. I needn't have brought my own, and it was one of the heaviest things in my bag. I used it once, to dry a sock.

The first hostel

There were empty beds all over town that week. I didn't need to book the first hostel, but I did anyway, and I'm glad I did. After a fourteen-hour journey, I didn't have to think about anything except finding the door.

The guidebook

Six hundred beautiful pages, nearly a kilo of paper. I read the chapter about the airport and nothing else, because my phone did everything the book did and didn't hurt my back. I needn't have bothered.

What I really needed

Earplugs, because the hostel had a karaoke bar downstairs. A padlock for the lockers. And a pack of cards, which got me through two power cuts and a lot of long bus rides, and made me most of my friends. Total weight: about 150 grams. The jumpers alone weighed two kilos.

Next week: why I came home with two suitcases.

Talk about it

TASK In pairs. Answer the questions, then tell the class.

Which of Zara's useless things would you have packed too?

1

Her useful things weighed about 150 grams. What one small thing would you add to her list?

2

Two questions

TASK In pairs. Answer the questions for each row: yes, no or we don't know.

From the blog

Was it necessary? · Did it happen?

1

I needn't have packed three jumpers: it was 30 degrees every day.

Necessary? __________

Happened? __________

2

I didn't need to buy a SIM card.

Necessary? __________

Happened? __________

3

…my host gave me her old one.

Happened? __________

4

I didn't need to book the first hostel, but I did anyway.

Necessary? __________

Happened? __________

Get the form right

TASK Complete 1 and 2 with a verb from the blog. Sentences 3 to 5 each have one mistake: correct them.

1

I needn't have __________ my own hairdryer.

2

I didn't have to __________ a single form.

3

I needn't to pack so much: half of it came home unworn.

4

I didn't needed to buy a SIM card.

5

I needn't packed the guidebook: I only read one chapter.

Say it

TASK Listen and repeat. Then say each sentence to your partner.

1

I needn't have bothered.

2

I needn't have packed three jumpers.

3

I didn't need to buy a SIM card.

4

I didn't have to fill in a single form.

Grammar reference

needn't have + past participle

It wasn't necessary, and you did it. Often a realisation afterwards: I needn't have packed three jumpers. I needn't have bothered.

didn't need to / didn't have to + verb

It wasn't necessary. The two mean the same. On its own, we usually understand you didn't do it: I didn't need to buy a SIM card. The context can say you did: I didn't need to book, but I did anyway.

It happened

both work: I needn't have booked it. / I didn't need to book it, but I did.

It didn't happen

only didn't need to / didn't have to: I didn't have to fill in a form.

needn't have is mainly British and a little formal. American English uses didn't need to / didn't have to for both meanings.

CAREFUL

I needn't have packed it = I did; it wasn't necessary. I shouldn't have packed it = I did; it was a mistake. I should have packed it = I didn't, and that was a mistake.

Did it happen?

TASK Did it happen? Then choose every form that fits: one or both. Say the sentence each way that works.

1

You __________ (make) so many sandwiches! We've still got twenty left.

needn't have

didn't need to

2

The station was five minutes away, so I __________ (take) a taxi. I walked.

needn't have

didn't need to

3

The museum was free on Sundays, so we __________ (buy) tickets. We just walked in.

needn't have

didn't need to

4

I ironed my best shirt for the interview, but I __________ (bother): it was on the phone.

needn't have

didn't need to

5

My host had towels, so I __________ (bring) one. Mine stayed in my bag all month.

needn't have

didn't need to

6

My host had towels, so I __________ (bring) one. I left mine at home.

needn't have

didn't need to

What wasn't necessary?

TASK Write one sentence about each situation with needn't have, didn't need to or didn't have to. If there are words in brackets, start with them.

1

You revised all weekend for a test. On Monday, it was cancelled. (I needn't…)

2

You were going to buy a new phone charger, but a colleague lent you one.

3

You printed all your train tickets. The inspector only looked at phones.

4

You had your passport ready at the border, but nobody asked to see it. (I didn't have to…)

5

You cooked for eight people. Only four came. (I needn't…)

6

You took an umbrella to work every day for a week. It didn't rain once.

Too much, too little

TASK In pairs, then groups. Tell stories of preparing too much or too little.

Think of a time you prepared far more than you needed to, for an exam, a trip or an interview. What did you do that wasn't necessary?

1

2

Think of a time you prepared very little and it was fine. What didn't you need to do?

3

In pairs, tell both stories. Your partner asks one question about each.

In groups of three, run the Over-Preparers' Awards. Retell both your partner's stories, one sentence each. Then give three prizes: Most for nothing, Luckiest shortcut and Best reason to bother anyway. Say why each winner won.

4

Homework

TASK Zara is back home and moving flat. Use her checklist to write her message to a friend about moving day (70–90 words). Use at least four lines, with needn't have, didn't need to or didn't have to. Then write two sentences about your own last move or trip.

Moving day: my checklist Back from six months away and straight into a new flat. Here's my list, with my notes.

Book a van

Booked one. Then my neighbour offered me his for free.

Find someone to look after the cat

No: she slept through the whole thing in the bathroom.

1

4

2

Take the day off work

No: we moved on a Saturday.

Clean the oven

Two hours! Then the landlord said he's putting in a new kitchen anyway.

5

Measure the sofa

Measured it three times. It went through the door with room to spare.

3

Buy 40 boxes

Bought them. Used 15.

6

TEACHER'S REFERENCE · SKIP OR DELETE BEFORE CLASS

Answer key (1)

USEFUL OR USELESS?

Useless 2 (jumpers), 4 (hairdryer), 5 (guidebook). Useful · 1, 3, 6.

TWO QUESTIONS

1 Necessary? no · Happened? yes

2 Necessary? no · Happened? we don't know for sure: the form doesn't say (on its own we usually understand no). Accept either, and ask: does the sentence tell us for sure?

3 Happened? no: her host's old SIM tells us she didn't buy one

4 Necessary? no · Happened? yes

GET THE FORM RIGHT

1 brought (also possible: packed, taken)

2 fill in (also possible: fill out)

GET THE FORM RIGHT (CONT.)

3 I needn't have packed so much. (I didn't need to pack so much is also correct, but it changes two things.)

4 I didn't need to buy a SIM card.

5 I needn't have packed the guidebook.

DID IT HAPPEN?

1 both · You needn't have made / You didn't need to make so many sandwiches. (needn't have alone is correct, just not the full answer)

2 didn't need to · I didn't need to take a taxi. (didn't have to also correct)

3 didn't need to · We didn't need to buy tickets. (didn't have to also correct)

4 both · I needn't have bothered. / I didn't need to bother. (needn't have alone is correct, just not the full answer)

TEACHER'S REFERENCE · SKIP OR DELETE BEFORE CLASS

Answer key (2)

5 both · I needn't have brought one. / I didn't need to bring one. (needn't have alone is correct, just not the full answer)

6 didn't need to · I didn't need to bring one. (didn't have to also correct)

WHAT WASN'T NECESSARY? (POSSIBLE ANSWERS)

1 I needn't have revised all weekend.

2 I didn't need to buy a new charger. / I didn't have to buy…

3 Both forms work: I needn't have printed my tickets. / I didn't need to print my tickets, but I did.

4 I didn't have to show my passport.

5 I needn't have cooked for eight people.

6 Both forms work: I needn't have taken an umbrella. / I didn't need to take an umbrella, but I did.

HOMEWORK (POSSIBLE LINES FOR THE MESSAGE)

• Lines 1, 3, 5 and 6 happened, so both forms work (needn't have is the clearest); lines 2 and 4 didn't, so only didn't need to / didn't have to.

1 I needn't have booked a van. / I didn't need to book a van, but I did.

2 I didn't need to / didn't have to take the day off work.

3 I needn't have bought 40 boxes. / I didn't need to buy so many.

4 I didn't need to / didn't have to find a cat sitter.

5 I needn't have cleaned the oven. / I didn't need to clean it, but I did.

6 I needn't have measured the sofa three times. / I didn't need to measure it three times.