# It's "needs washed"!!!! **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [August 25, 2009, 12:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-needs-washed/507575 "2009-08-25T00:16:40Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Chessic\_Sense](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/7c8e57/32.png) [@Chessic\_Sense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chessic_Sense)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2009, 12:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-needs-washed/507575/1 "2009-08-25T00:16:40Z")
Screw this continuous/repetitive aspect and passive voice bullshit. I’m using present tense, completed aspect, active voice, and you’d better like it. It’s not “needs to be washed”, not “needs washing”, it’s “The car needs washed.” And while I’m at it, the dishwasher needs emptied and the dished need put away. I can’t imagine what’s going through your imagination when you say something as looney as “The car needs washing.” What, the car is out there going “And I’m washing, and I’m washing, and I’m still washing…” I’m not saying the phrase because I want to you be in the process of washing, I want it done. Finished. Over with. Completed, damn it! So quit correcting my grammar. Your rules are silly. My rules make more sense and they sound better too. So there. ---
**Author:** ![EmAnJ](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/d2c977/32.png) [@EmAnJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EmAnJ)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2009, 12:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-needs-washed/507575/2 "2009-08-25T00:19:22Z")
No fricken’ way, it sounds goofy! I have nothing else to add, but ask for a reference, because if you are correct, that’s really interesting. ---
**Author:** ![woodstockbirdybird](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/woodstockbirdybird/32/7905_2.png) [@woodstockbirdybird](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/woodstockbirdybird)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2009, 12:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-needs-washed/507575/3 "2009-08-25T00:22:19Z")
Actually, your rules make you sound like an uneducated hillbilly. But then, we all have personae that needs cultivated. ---
**Author:** ![wierdaaron](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/eada6e/32.png) [@wierdaaron](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wierdaaron)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2009, 12:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-needs-washed/507575/4 "2009-08-25T00:24:43Z")
This thread going fail. ---
**Author:** ![Harmonious\_Discord](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/74df32/32.png) [@Harmonious\_Discord](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Harmonious_Discord)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2009, 12:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-needs-washed/507575/5 "2009-08-25T00:27:15Z")
You needs brain bleached. ---
**Author:** ![Hamadryad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/6de8d8/32.png) [@Hamadryad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hamadryad)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2009, 12:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-needs-washed/507575/6 "2009-08-25T00:28:18Z")
You didn’t really think this would fly with a bunch of elitist pricks like us, did you? ---
**Author:** ![Slithy\_Tove](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slithy_tove/32/18248_2.png) [@Slithy\_Tove](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slithy_Tove)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2009, 12:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-needs-washed/507575/7 "2009-08-25T00:31:06Z")
It _wants_ washing elitist indeed! ---
**Author:** ![PatriotGrrrl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/9dc877/32.png) [@PatriotGrrrl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PatriotGrrrl)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2009, 12:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-needs-washed/507575/8 "2009-08-25T00:32:59Z")
You talk like a fag and your shit’s all retarded. But hey, tards can have a totally bitchin’ life. ---
**Author:** ![Scarlett67](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scarlett67/32/7387_2.png) [@Scarlett67](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scarlett67)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2009, 12:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-needs-washed/507575/9 "2009-08-25T00:38:53Z")
All our base are belong to him. ---
**Author:** ![Lemur866](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lemur866/32/434_2.png) [@Lemur866](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lemur866)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2009, 12:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-needs-washed/507575/10 "2009-08-25T00:39:38Z")
> [@woodstockbirdybird](#): > > Actually, your rules make you sound like an uneducated hillbilly. But then, we all have personae that needs cultivated. You mean “need cultivated”. ---
**Author:** ![Ravenman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ravenman/32/2929_2.png) [@Ravenman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ravenman)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2009, 12:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-needs-washed/507575/11 "2009-08-25T00:40:03Z")
> [@Chessic\_Sense](#): > > So quit correcting my grammar. Your rules are silly. My rules make more sense and they sound better too. So there. [Your version of English is about weird.](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Central_Pennsylvania_accent) Or should that be, “Your version English about weird?” ---
**Author:** ![Dallas\_Jones](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dallas_jones/32/3277_2.png) [@Dallas\_Jones](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dallas_Jones)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2009, 1:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-needs-washed/507575/12 "2009-08-25T01:11:44Z")
Putting up with grammar critics on the internet is something up with which I shall not put. Needs washed? Needs is a future tense, washed is a past tense. Makes no tense at all. Oh, and my car has needs, and wants, and desires. And it resides in a better building than I do. I wouldn’t be seen in public with my car or my wife if either needs washing. ---
**Author:** ![Red\_Skeezix](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/aca169/32.png) [@Red\_Skeezix](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Red_Skeezix)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2009, 1:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-needs-washed/507575/13 "2009-08-25T01:19:38Z")
> [@ghardester](#): > > Putting up with grammar critics on the internet is something up with which I shall not put. > > Needs washed? Needs is a future tense, washed is a past tense. Makes no tense at all. > > Oh, and my car has needs, and wants, and desires. And it resides in a better building than I do. > > I wouldn’t be seen in public with my car or my wife if either needs washing. :dubious: Needs is a present tense. The future tense of need is will/shall need. Your point however still makes sense, since it is rubbish to mix present and past tenses so willy nilly. ---
**Author:** ![Red\_Skeezix](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/aca169/32.png) [@Red\_Skeezix](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Red_Skeezix)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2009, 1:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-needs-washed/507575/14 "2009-08-25T01:27:34Z")
> [@Chessic\_Sense](#): > > I can’t imagine what’s going through your imagination when you say something as looney as “The car needs washing.” What, the car is out there going “And I’m washing, and I’m washing, and I’m still washing…” I’m not saying the phrase because I want to you be in the process of washing, I want it done. Finished. Over with. Completed, damn it! Needs washing, isn’t passive or repetitive, its a simple construction. We like to put nouns or noun stand ins after active verbs. Besides the car is out there going “I need a washing” in the only way a car can, by being dirty. ---
**Author:** ![SeaDragonTattoo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/df705f/32.png) [@SeaDragonTattoo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SeaDragonTattoo)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2009, 1:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-needs-washed/507575/15 "2009-08-25T01:28:10Z")
Pennsylvania Dutch, anyone? Seriously, get outta Pitts once in a while. ---
**Author:** ![Dallas\_Jones](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dallas_jones/32/3277_2.png) [@Dallas\_Jones](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dallas_Jones)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2009, 1:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-needs-washed/507575/16 "2009-08-25T01:29:36Z")
> [@Red\_Skeezix](#): > > :dubious: Needs is a present tense. The future tense of need is will/shall need. Your point however still makes sense, since it is rubbish to mix present and past tenses so willy nilly. Well I was just being frivolous. But in the ‘needs washing’ usage doesn’t ‘needs’ imply ‘needs to be’? That is how I read it as a future tense. Disclaimer: I am not an English teacher and my garden needs water, so I will leave the Pit now. ---
**Author:** ![tr0psn4j](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/958977/32.png) [@tr0psn4j](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tr0psn4j)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2009, 1:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-needs-washed/507575/17 "2009-08-25T01:32:37Z")
I needz cheezeburgered? ---
**Author:** ![Nzinga\_Seated](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/b5ac83/32.png) [@Nzinga\_Seated](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nzinga_Seated)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2009, 1:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-needs-washed/507575/18 "2009-08-25T01:33:31Z")
> [@PatriotGrrrl](#): > > You talk like a fag and your shit’s all retarded. But hey, tards can have a totally bitchin’ life. Now, see, this shouldn’t be funny to me anymore, because since I first watched that movie, my husband has said this dozens of times. Yet, I laugh. ---
**Author:** ![Drain\_Bead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e47774/32.png) [@Drain\_Bead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Drain_Bead)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2009, 1:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-needs-washed/507575/19 "2009-08-25T01:36:56Z")
Funny, I guessed correctly just based on the thread title alone that you lived somewhere within a three-hour drive from me. ---
**Author:** ![Rumor\_Watkins](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/d9b06d/32.png) [@Rumor\_Watkins](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rumor_Watkins)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2009, 1:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-needs-washed/507575/20 "2009-08-25T01:40:39Z")
It rubs the lotion on its skin or else it gets the hose again. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-needs-washed/507575.md?page=2)