"Dare" as an Ordinary Verb and an Auxiliary Verb

"Dare" as an Ordinary Verb and an Auxiliary Verb

Dare can be used as an ordinary verb and an auxiliary verb. When dare is used as an ordinary verb, it is followed by an infinitive with to. Also, questions and negatives are made with do.

When dare is used as an auxiliary verb, it is followed by an infinitive without to and questions and negatives are made without to.

Fill in the blanks.

1. She is a woman who ……………….. what she thinks.
dares to say
dares say
dare to say
dare say
2. I didn’t ……………………… the truth.
dare to tell
dare tell
dared tell
3. Do you ………………….. what you think?
dare say
dare to say
dares to say
4. I daren’t ………………… what I think.
say
to say
5. He ………………… out at night.
dare not go
does not dare to go
Either could be used here
6. She ................................... the truth.
doesn't dare speak
doesn't dare to speak
daren't to speak
7. The old man didn’t ………………….. the door.
dare open
dare to open
Either could be used here
8. I ……………………. at her face.
don't dare to look
daren't look
Either could be used here
9. Do you dare ………………….. your limits?
test
to test
to testing
10. She didn’t ……………….. her eyes.
dare open
dare to open
dared to open
11. I dare you ……………… across the river.
swim
to swim
Either could be used here
12. She dared me ………………. the truth.
tell
to tell
Answers

1. She is a woman who dares to day / dare say what she thinks.

2. I didn’t dare to tell the truth.

3. Do you dare to say what you think?

4. I daren’t say what I think.

5. He dare not go / doesn’t dare to go out at night.

6. She doesn’t dare to speak the truth.

7. The old man didn’t dare to open the door.

8. I don’t dare to look / daren’t look at her face.

9. Do you dare to test your limits?

10. She didn’t dare to open her eyes.

11. I dare you to swim across the river.

12. She dared me to tell the truth.

"Can" and "Could" Special Uses

"Can" and "Could" Special Uses
Can and could are modal auxiliaries used to express ideas such as ability, possibility and permission. They also have some special uses. For example, they are often used with verbs that do not have a continuous form to talk about ongoing states and experiences.

Complete the following sentences with an appropriate word or phrase.

1. I …………………….. Mary coming.
can see
am seeing
see
2. ………………….. somebody coming up the stairs?
Are you hearing
Can you hear
3. What did you put in the soup? I ………………… something funny.
taste
am tasting
can taste
4. Suddenly I realized I ……………….. something burning.
was smelling
could smell
5. I ………………… what she wanted.
knew
could knew
had known
6. I ………………… what she wanted.
guessed
could guess
Either could be used here
7. You ………………… she is British from her accent.
tell
told
can tell
8. I …………………… what you are talking about.
can't understand
don't understand
Either could be used here
9. She is an arrogant woman, but somehow you can’t ………………… her.
help to like
help like
help liking
10. I couldn’t ………………. what they said.
help to overhear
help overhearing
help overhear
11. I can’t help ……………………. what she wants.
but to wonder
but wonder
but wondering
12. I can't help .......................... what I should do next.
but wonder
wondering
Either could be used here
Answers
1. I can see Mary coming.
2. Can you hear somebody coming up the stairs?
3. What did you put in the soup? I can taste something funny.
4. Suddenly I realized I could smell something burning.
5. I knew what she wanted.
6. I guessed / could guess what she wanted.
7. You can tell she is British from her accent.
8. I can’t understand / don’t understand what you are talking about.
9. She is an arrogant woman, but somehow you can’t help liking her.
10. I couldn’t help overhearing what they said.
11. I can’t help but wonder what she wants.
12. I can’t help wondering / but wonder what I should do next.