Questions tagged [semi-modals]
Use for questions regarding semi-modals, for example: 'need', 'dare', 'ought to', and 'used to'.
21
questions
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vote
2answers
82 views
Why doesn't “need” take a “to” infinitive in some cases? [duplicate]
In a book of Alexander McCall Smith I found this phrase:
No historical novelists need apply.
Why isn't it this with a to for the infinitive?
No historical novelist need to apply?
2
votes
1answer
405 views
Is there a semantic difference between “need not contain” and “do not need to contain”?
This question already outlines what the syntactic differences between "need not" and "do not need to" are.
However, a discussion unfolded below this answer about the following quote from this ...
0
votes
1answer
444 views
“Dare” (modal) and “dare to” [closed]
Is there any difference between "I'd dare to say" and "I dare say"?
4
votes
3answers
2k views
Indispensability of 'to' after 'ought' in British English [closed]
I'm Brazilian, and I need to know which British literature says 'to' is indispensable after the word 'ought'.
For example: Your skin color ought not to dictate your future.
Could you give me ...
1
vote
0answers
244 views
One dare not disobey? [duplicate]
When a mystery is too overpowering, one dare not disobey.
This is a sentence from The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry. I am not sure why dare is in the infinitive, not the third person ...
9
votes
2answers
477 views
Why can't I use a regular modal verb here?
I have a question regarding the following question in a English grammar test:
Fill in the correct option in the blank:
What ___ in order to get a permit to work in your country?
...
-1
votes
3answers
1k views
Is it possible to say “we were better” meaning “we better” in the past tense?
I know that textbooks maintain that this phrase (even not exactly this, since it's the "incorrect" version of "we had better") should be used only in the present and future tenses but I wonder if it's ...
1
vote
3answers
5k views
I can say: “You shouldn't have done this!” Can I say: “You had better not have done this!”?
Provided "should" and "had better" are near synonyms (stronger advice in "had better" than in "should" or in more formal "ought to"), I know I can say
You shouldn't have done this!
But how about
...
4
votes
3answers
28k views
Future Tense of Modal Verbs
All normal verbs can be conjugated in the future tense.
e.g. I know, I will know. I do, I will do.
But I have noticed that we cannot conjugate the modal verb can in the future tense.
can, I ...
1
vote
2answers
6k views
“He didn't dare [verb]” vs. “He didn't dare *to* [verb]” [duplicate]
Which one is correct? If both are correct, is there any difference in the meaning?
He didn't dare to contradict his parents.
He didn't dare contradict his parents.
5
votes
3answers
3k views
Is it possible to use had to + past participle?
I always think that the proper use of this construction is, for example: 'After the death of her grandfather, she had to take over his duties on the farm'.
This is a sentence from my paper, which ...
3
votes
3answers
3k views
Passive of modal verb “dare”
What would be the passive of the following sentence?
You dare not talk to her.
Also, is it right to say "you dare not talk to her" at all?
3
votes
3answers
3k views
Are there other verbs that work like “dare” and “need”? [duplicate]
The verbs dare and need do not require auxiliaries when used in the interrogative; for example, “need I?” is as acceptable as “do I need?”
Excluding the auxiliaries themselves (like be, do, have),
...
22
votes
6answers
75k views
“need to do” vs “need do”
Consider:
I need to do this.
I need do this.
My English grammar knowledge tells me that "need" doesn't have the same status as the modal verbs "may", "can", "should" and what not. Hence the second ...
21
votes
5answers
78k views
“How dare you” vs “How do you dare”
I know that dare is a semi-modal verb. I just don't know when to use it like a modal auxiliary verb and when to use it like a normal verb. Given the following examples:
How dare you ...
How do ...
6
votes
2answers
2k views
Grammar of 'dare' in this example
What is the grammar of the verb 'dare' in the following example?
The pizza was nice but, dare I say it, the salad was awful.
Is it some type of imperative?
10
votes
3answers
3k views
Is it appropriate to omit “to” after “ought”?
Is it appropriate to omit to after ought?
I ought to be disciplined for my insolence.
Vs.
I ought be disciplined for my insolence.
Is it okay to omit the to?
5
votes
1answer
7k views
“Dare” with and without “to”
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 ...
9
votes
3answers
22k views
Infinitives with “ought not”
Most of the references I can find about the word “ought” indicate that even when negating it, you should use an infinitive: “You ought not to go there.”
That sounds quite bad ...
4
votes
3answers
1k views
“Need just [verb]” vs. “need to just [verb]” [duplicate]
I wonder if it's okay to use these interchangeably:
You need just accept it.
You need to just accept it.
64
votes
1answer
238k views
Why use “need not” instead of “do not need to”?
The header of psyco.sourceforge.net states:
High-level languages need not be slower than low-level ones.
Why use need not instead of do not need? What does it mean? Also, why no to before be?
