needs done (Barak Obama)

[ostap77]

"They're not going to be make-work jobs, but jobs doing the work that America desperately needs done, jobs rebuilding our crumbling roads and bridges, repairing our dangerously deficient dams and levees so that we don't face another Katrina."

I've extracted a sentence from Obama's speech. I might have been discussing this in one of the threads but once again a question regarding the use of "need+done" has come up.

Wasn't it supposed to be "needs to be done"? So could I say "There are certain things I need done" or "My car needs fixed"?

[emsr2d2]

"They're not going to be make-work jobs, but jobs doing the work that America desperately needs done, jobs rebuilding our crumbling roads and bridges, repairing our dangerously deficient dams and levees so that we don't face another Katrina."

I've extracted a sentence from Obama's speech. I might have been discussing this in one of the threads but once again a question regarding the use of "need+done" has come up.

Wasn't it supposed to be "needs to be done"? So could I say "There are certain things I need done" or "My car needs fixed"?

"Need done" is fine and regularly used.
I need this done now.
He needed it done straight away.
He has a room he needs painted.

We would say "My car needs fixing" or "My car needs to be fixed".
However, we can say "She has a car she needs fixed".

[ostap77]

"Need done" is fine and regularly used.
I need this done now.
He needed it done straight away.
He has a room he needs painted.

We would say "My car needs fixing" or "My car needs to be fixed".
However, we can say "She has a car she needs fixed".

1)Could I say "There are some household chores I need done before my wife comes back from work"?
2)If I were the boss, could I say to my employee "I need this report done by noon"?

[emsr2d2]

Could I say "There are some household chores I need done before my wife comes back from work"?

Yes, but only if you are going to ask someone else to do them. If you are going to do the chores then you would say:

There are some household chores I need to do before...

When you say "There's something I need done..." it suggests that you are going to arrange for someone else to do it.

If it's a simple statement about the chores without suggesting who is going to them, then:

There are some household chores that need doing before...

[ostap77]

Yes, but only if you are going to ask someone else to do them. If you are going to do the chores then you would say:

There are some household chores I need to do before...

When you say "There's something I need done..." it suggests that you are going to arrange for someone else to do it.

If it's a simple statement about the chores without suggesting who is going to them, then:

There are some household chores that need doing before...

What about 2)?

[emsr2d2]

1)Could I say "There are some household chores I need done before my wife comes back from work"?
2) If I were the boss, could I say to my employee "I need this report done by noon"?

Sentence 2 is fine.

[ostap77]

Sentence 2 is fine.

1)What if I knew I was going to have guests coming over for dinner and I was a lousy cook,could I say to my friend on the phone" Look there's cooking I need done for dinner. Could come help me out?"
2) A. I hear you bought a new house.
B. Yeah. I'm just going to need extra money since there are major repairs I need done to my new house. OK?

[emsr2d2]

1)What if I knew I was going to have guests coming over for dinner and I was a lousy cook. Could I say to my friend on the phone "Look there's cooking I need done for dinner. Could come and help me out?"

2) A. I hear you bought a new house.
B. Yeah. I'm just going to need extra money since there are major repairs I need done to my new house. OK?

They're both fine. I think you've pretty much understood the usage now.

[5jj]

They're both fine. I think you've pretty much understood the usage now.

So I suggest you quit while you are ahead, ostap.

[emsr2d2]

So I suggest you quite while you are ahead, ostap.

Hear hear, though I'd suggest that you quit.