To my surprise, there's a missing question about this particularly interesting verb, dare. All I know about it is the fact it can be in two forms, as an auxiliary (without to: "I dare not mention their names") and main (with to: "Did anyone dare to admit it?") verb and the difference has something to do with agreeing with subject. Can somebody explain in a greater detail?
asked Sep 26, 2011 at 11:45
1 Answer
Dare is a semi-modal verb. The speaker can choose whether to use the auxiliary "to" when forming negative and interrogative sentences. For example, "I don't dare (to) go" and "I dare not go" are both correct. Similarly "Dare you go?" and "Do you dare (to) go?" are both correct.
Taken from the Wiktionary.
Note that when dare means challenge, it requires to, as in:
I challenge you to ask her out.
I dare you to ask her out.
answered Sep 26, 2011 at 12:01
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Yes, I think, that's a better example of the contrast between the semi-modal and lexical uses. Commented Sep 26, 2011 at 12:11
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Uh… what would be wrong with 'I dare you: ask her out', please? Commented Jan 12, 2017 at 0:34
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1To Robbie's comment: that's an entirely different structure with the colon, so nothing's wrong with that either, of course.– Sz.Commented Jan 23, 2022 at 23:51
darelikeneed? Only in negative or interrogative the use ofdarewithouttoand auxiliary means it doesn`t happen,it is a subjunctive.The another wise it is a common conjugate.