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DARE

396

Dare

as a semi-modal occurs frequently in negative and interrogative clauses.

When used as a semi-modal, it is followed by the infinitive without to:

I 

daren’t

ring

Linda again.

She 

dare not

ask

her mother to lend her money.

Dare we 

write

to them and complain?

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539 Glossary for any unfamiliar terms

Modality | 657

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The negative of semi-modal dare may occur as dare not/daren’t or may be formed

with auxiliary do:

I 

dare not go in there because goodness knows what’s in there.

His eyes were all swollen up and everything, so he 

didn’t dare go out.

Semi-modal dare is usually not inflected for person or tense. When dare is used as

a lexical verb, it may be followed by a to-infinitive and it may be inflected. The

non-inflected past form is rare and rather formal:

[expressing strong disapproval of someone’s criticism]

And she 

dare criticise the running of the Centre!

I think they all feel the same but nobody ever 

dares to say it, you know. 

She 

dared to hope that she had seen the last of him.

He was such a terrifying man; no one 

dare contradict him.

(rare and formal)