Use of dare
“Dare” is a versatile verb in English that can function as a main verb, a modal-like verb, and even a noun. Its uses and forms are a common source of confusion for learners because it behaves differently from regular verbs in some constructions and because it has both literal and idiomatic meanings. This post explains the grammar and usage of “dare,” with examples, comparisons, and notes on style and register.
Overview: meanings and senses
- To challenge someone (imperative/command): “I dare you to jump.”
- Here, “dare” expresses a provocation to perform an action.
- To have the courage to do something (ability/permission sense): “She dared to speak up.”
- This sense emphasizes risk, bravery, or reluctance.
- As a modal-like verb (especially in negative and interrogative forms): “Dare he refuse?” or “I daren’t go.”
- When used this way, “dare” often omits the full auxiliary and behaves like a modal (see details below).
- As a noun: “He accepted the dare.”
- Here, it refers to the challenge itself.
Understanding the difference between these uses helps you choose the correct forms, auxiliary verbs, and negative or interrogative constructions.
Main-verb “dare” vs. modal “dare”
English treats “dare” in two principal grammatical ways: as a lexical (main) verb and as a weak/modal verb. The distinctions affect whether you use auxiliaries (do-support), which inflections are permitted, and whether you add “to” before an infinitive.
1. “Dare” as a main (lexical) verb
When “dare” functions as a regular main verb, it follows normal verb patterns: it takes -s in the third-person singular present, uses “did” in the past, and generally requires “do” for negation and questions.
- Affirmative (present):
- I/You/We/They dare to speak up.
- He/She/It dares to speak up.
- Affirmative (past):
- I/You/We/They/He/She/It dared to speak up.
- Negative (with do-support):
- I did not (didn’t) dare to speak up.
- He does not (doesn’t) dare to speak up.
- Question (with do-support):
- Did you dare to speak up?
- Does she dare to tell him?
With the main-verb meaning, it’s common to include “to” before an infinitive: “dare to do something.” Example: “She dared to defy the rules.”
2. “Dare” as a modal-like (auxiliary) verb
“Dare” can also behave like a modal verb (similar to “can,” “must,” “should”) in certain syntactic environments. When used this way:
- It commonly appears in negative and interrogative contexts or when a sense of daring/bravery is emphasized.
- It does not take -s in the third person (no “dares” in this modal use).
- Additionally, it does not use “do” for questions or negatives; instead, negatives may use contracted forms like “daren’t” (British English) or “dare not.” Questions invert without “do”: “Dare he?” rather than “Does he dare?”
- It typically takes the bare infinitive (no “to”): “Dare she speak?” / “I daren’t go” / “He dare not say that.”
Examples:
- Negative: “I dare not speak.” (modal-like: no “to”)
- Interrogative: “Dare you try that?” (no “do”)
- Affirmative: Modal use in affirmative forms is less common and often sounds formal or archaic: “He dare go alone” is rare; usually the main-verb form “He dares to go alone” or “He dared to go alone” is used.
Note: The contracted “daren’t” is common in British English speech but rare or nonstandard in American English; Americans often say “don’t dare” instead (using do-support): “I don’t dare go out alone.”
To-infinitive vs. bare infinitive after “dare”
- Main-verb: usually takes the to-infinitive:
- “She dared to enter the room.”
- Modal-like verb: takes the bare infinitive (no to):
- “Dare she enter the room?” / “I dare not say.”
Which to use often depends on register and construction:
- Affirmative statements frequently use the main-verb with “to”: “He dared to speak up.”
- Negative and interrogative uses — where “dare” acts like a modal — more often use the bare infinitive: “Dare you tell her?” “I dare not tell her.”
- In modern informal American English, speakers commonly use do-support with the main verb and a bare infinitive after “dare” omitted: “I didn’t dare tell her.” (Note: these mixes do support the main-verb meaning but result in the bare infinitive without “to” after “dare” — both patterns exist in usage.)
Examples for contrast:
- Standard main-verb affirmative: “She dared to climb the cliff.”
- Negative with main-verb (do-support): “She didn’t dare to climb the cliff.”
- Negative modal-like: “She dare not climb the cliff.” or British contracted “She daren’t climb the cliff.”
- Question (modal-like): “Dare she climb the cliff?” vs. question with do-support: “Did she dare to climb the cliff?”
Because usage overlaps, context and regional preference matter.
Forms and conjugation summary
- Base form: dare
- 3rd person singular (main-verb use): dares
- Past tense: dared (both uses)
- Present participle/gerund: daring
- Past participle: dared
- Modal-like negative contraction (British): daren’t
- Negative with do-support: do/does/did + dare + (to) infinitive
- Bare infinitive follows modal-like “dare”; to-infinitive typically follows main-verb “dare.”
Sample conjugations:
- I dare / I don’t dare / I daren’t (BrE)
- He dares / He doesn’t dare / He dare not (modal-like interrogative or negative rare)
- We dared / We didn’t dare
Use in imperatives and in dares (the challenge)
When “dare” is used to issue a challenge:
- Imperative: “I dare you!” / “I dare you to do it.”
- With “to”: “I dare you to jump off the wall.” (common idiomatic pattern)
- As a noun: “That’s a dare I can’t refuse.” / “He took the dare.”
In informal speech, challenges often use the pattern “I dare you to [verb]” (with “to” plus base verb). The shorter “I dare you” is used as a provocation on its own.
Negation: “dare not” vs. “don’t/doesn’t/didn’t dare”
Negation is an area where regional and stylistic differences appear:
- “Dare not” or “daren’t” (contracted) is more common in British English and in more formal or literary registers: “I dare not tell him the truth.” “He daren’t go out after dark.”
- American English speakers frequently use do-support: “I don’t dare tell him.” “She didn’t dare go alone.”
- Both forms are grammatically acceptable, but “daren’t” is less common in written formal English and may be viewed as colloquial.
When using the past tense, “did not dare” is typical: “She did not dare to question him” or “She didn’t dare question him.”
Questions with “dare”
- Modal-like inversion (formal/older style, BrE): “Dare he speak?” or “Dare you say that?”
- With do-support (modern/informal AmE and neutral contexts): “Did he dare to speak?” or “Do you dare to say that?”
- A common modern form: “Do you dare [to] say that?” (with or without “to”)
- Note: When using do-support, adding “to” after “dare” is optional in many contexts, though many prefer “to” with the main verb in affirmative contexts.
Gerund and participle uses
- Present participle (daring): Used to form progressive aspects or adjectives: “He is daring to challenge tradition.” / “a daring act”
- Gerund: “Daring to try new things can lead to growth.”
“Dare” as a noun:
- “The dare was simple: jump across the creek.”
- Collocations: “take a dare,” “accept a dare,” “issue a dare.”
Common collocations and idioms
- “I dare say” — an idiom meaning “I suppose” or “probably.” Example: “I dare say he’ll be late.”
- Note: This uses “dare” idiomatically and does not express a challenge.
- “I wouldn’t dare” — expresses reluctance or fear of doing something. Example: “I wouldn’t dare tell her the truth.”
- “Don’t you dare!” — strong warning/prohibition. Example: “Don’t you dare touch that!”
- This uses the auxiliary “do” and an imperative negative form for emphasis and intensity.
- “Daredevil” (noun/adjective) — a person who takes dangerous risks; extremely bold.
Style, register, and usage advice
- Use main-verb “dare” + to-infinitive for clear, neutral affirmative sentences: “She dared to ask a question.”
- Use “did/don’t/didn’t dare” constructions in most neutral modern English, especially in American English: “He didn’t dare speak up.”
- Also, use modal-like “dare” (no do-support, bare infinitive) in formal, literary, or older-sounding contexts, or in British English speech patterns: “Dare he challenge the verdict?” or “I daren’t go.”
- Avoid mixing forms awkwardly. For example, “He dare not to go” is incorrect — choose either “He dare not go” (modal-like) or “He does not dare to go” (main-verb with do-support).
- In negative imperatives for emphasis, prefer “Don’t you dare [verb]!” — this is idiomatic and emphatic in everyday speech.
Errors to avoid
- Incorrectly adding “to” after a modal-like “dare”: “He dare not to speak” is incorrect. Use “He dare not speak” or “He does not dare to speak.”
- Using “daren’t” in formal writing unless intentionally reproducing spoken British English.
- Mixing up “dare” as a noun and verb: “He dared me to” requires completion — “He dared me to jump” or “He gave me a dare.”
- Confusing “I dare say” (idiomatic: I suppose) with the literal meaning of challenging someone.
Examples in context
- Affirmative main verb: “Despite the storm, she dared to venture outside.”
- Negative with do-support: “He didn’t dare ask for more money.”
- Modal-like negative (BrE): “She daren’t tell him the truth.”
- Question (do-support): “Did you dare to accept the challenge?”
- Question (modal-like): “Dare he face the music?”
- Imperative/command: “I dare you — show me you can do it!”
- Idiom: “I dare say he’ll understand.”
Final notes and recommended practice
- If you are learning English, default to using “dare” with normal verb forms (do-support in negatives and questions) unless you are intentionally practicing literary or British stylistic variants. For example: “She didn’t dare say anything” or “He didn’t dare to speak” are widely accepted and clear.
- Read texts from different dialects (British vs. American) to notice how “dare” is used in natural contexts.
- Practice transforming sentences between main-verb and modal-like uses to gain flexibility. Example transformations:
- “She didn’t dare to refuse.” → “She daren’t refuse.” (BrE, modal-like)
- “Did he dare to insult her?” → “Dare he insult her?” (formal/modal-like)
Understanding the use of “dare” comes down to recognizing its grammatical role in a sentence (main verb vs. modal-like verb), choosing the correct infinitive form (to-infinitive vs. bare infinitive), and selecting the appropriate negation or question structure. With awareness of register and dialectal differences, you’ll be able to use “dare” accurately and effectively.
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