A needn't+完成式常常和could+完成式结合使用。这种用法最好通过例句来说明：—I wanted a copy of the letter，so I typed it twice．—You needn't have typed it twice．You could have used a carbon．—我需要那封信的副本，所以我打了两遍字。—你没必要打两遍。你当时本可以用复写纸打。—I walked up six flights of stairs．—You needn't have walked up；you could have taken the lift．—我爬了六层楼梯。—你没必要走着上去；你本来可以乘电梯的。—She stood in a queue to get an Underground ticket．—But she needn't have stood in a queue．She could have got a ticket from the machine．—她排队买一张地铁车票。—可她本来不需要排队。她本可以在售票机那儿买票。B needn’t have和 should have的比较should或ought to在以上A的例句中都可以代替need或could：She shouldn't have stood in a queue．She should have got tickets from the machine．她本来就不该去排队。她应当在售票机那儿买票。但这里存在着含义上的差别：She shouldn't have stood in a queue．她本来就不该去排队。（她排队是错误的或愚蠢的。）She needn't have stood in a queue．她本不必去排队。（这样做是不必要的，但她却排了队。）shouldn't have（done）有批评之意。needn't have（done）不含有批评之意。