Dare and Need for intermediate learners
'Dare' and 'need' have characteristics of both modal verbs and main verbs. Because of this, they are called semi-modals. In this lesson, we'll learn about them.
What Are Dare and Need?
'Dare' and 'need' are two semi-modal verbs in English. They are both common among native English speakers and are used in various contexts. Let us learn more about how they function.
Structure
As mentioned before, semi-modals are verbs that can act as both the main and modal verbs. 'Dare' and 'need' are two famous, common semi-modal verbs in English grammar. Let us see how their structures are made:
As a modal verb, 'dare' is only used in negative statements and questions and the following verb comes without 'to'.
I
Warning!
The modal verb does not change when using third-person singular pronouns.
As the main verb:
She
They
As you can see, the base form of verb is used.
As a modal verb, 'need' is only used in negative statements and questions and the following verb comes without 'to'.
They
As the main verb it goes:
I
She
Tip!
You can add an auxiliary verb to turn these sentences into negative statements easily. Look at the examples below:
I need more money right now. → I
Dare take me with you. →
As you can see, this form is more common among native speakers.
Uses
Need
- To Force Someone or Be Forced to Do Something
- To Require Something
To Force Someone or to Be Forced to Do Something
One of the uses of 'need' is to show that something important must be done or when you are ordering someone to do an important task. Pay attention to the examples below:
I
They
Something
Sometimes 'need' is used to require something. Let us look at the following examples carefully:
I really
She
Dare
'Dare' also has two meanings and is used in two different contexts as listed below:
- To Be Brave Enough to Do Something
- To Challenge Someone, Especially in a Difficult Situation
To Be Brave Enough to Do Something
'Dare' is sometimes used to show how we are brave enough to do or not do something. Let us see some examples below:
I don't
She
To Challenge Someone, Especially in a Difficult Situation
Sometimes 'dare' is used to challenge someone and it is usually a difficult one. Study the examples below carefully:
I
We
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