Join over 5500 subscribers and get a free ebook

Use of dare

Dare can be used in two ways: as an ordinary verb and as an auxiliary verb.

Dare as an ordinary verb

As an ordinary verb, dare is followed by the infinitive with to.

• She doesn’t dare to go out at night.
• I dare you to hit me!
• She didn’t dare to tell him what had happened.

Note that the ordinary verb dare is more common in negative sentences.

The expressions You dare! and Don’t you dare! are sometimes used to discourage people from doing unwanted things.

• ‘Mummy can I draw a picture on the wall?’ ‘You dare! ’

Dare as an auxiliary verb

As an auxiliary verb, dare is followed by an infinitive without to. Questions and negatives are made without do.

• How dare you say that I am a liar?
• Dare she tell him?

The expression I dare say is used in British English to mean ‘I think probably’ or ‘I suppose’.

• He is not here yet, but I dare say he will come later. (= I think he will probably come later.)

Dare + object + infinitive

The expression I dare you + infinitive is used to challenge other people to do frightening things.

• I dare you to jump across the stream.