something needs doing and something needs to be done

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Enjoyenglish

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Hello.
something needs doing and something needs to be done (http://www.ldoceonline.com/dictionary/need)
Can we replace "something" with "someone" in the structure, please?
Ex:- This child needs taking/to be taken to hospital.
 

GoesStation

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Hello.
something needs doing and something needs to be done (http://www.ldoceonline.com/dictionary/need)
Can we replace "something" with "someone" in the structure, please?
Ex:- This child needs taking/to be taken to hospital.

In my dialect it's common to say things like this needs fixed, omitting "to be". This usage sounds wrong to Anglophones who don't live in the region where it's used, so you shouldn't adopt it.

This child needs taking to [the] hospital is wrong.
 

emsr2d2

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"This child needs taking to hospital" is OK in BrE (informally, at least).
 

SoothingDave

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In my dialect it's common to say things like this needs fixed, omitting "to be". This usage sounds wrong to Anglophones who don't live in the region where it's used, so you shouldn't adopt it.

This child needs taking to [the] hospital is wrong.

Same here. Western Pennsylvania.
 
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