Dare (not) infinitive

In the English Grammar Profile, using the word ‘dare’ is b2-c2 and rare. The other strange thing is that some of the most common Ngrams (words found together) are C2 and less common seem to be B2 according to Cambridge research.  For that reason, the complexity checking ability around this vocabulary item should be taken with caution. One thing is quite clear though.  That is, the ability to use ‘dare’ as a modal verb shows B2 and above ability.

In the category of Modality,

B2 point 157 is AFFIRMATIVE, point 136 is NEGATIVE, and point 171 is defined as

BRAVADO semi-modal ‘dare’ to talk about being brave enough to do something.

*Note there are higher levels for dare, but it is such a rare grammar point.  On the EGP:

LOW FREQUENCY ITEM. There is very little use of dare as a semi-modal in CLC even at C2 level. Most examples are dare as main verb. At C level there is lots of evidence of dare + to inf and lots of errors with dare + -ing; Similarly need is most frequently used as a lexical verb need to.

Also, note the EVP entry:

A search for dare _vvi* on iWeb:

1 DARE SAY 6890 2 DARE GO 699 3 DARE TRY 663 4 DARE TAKE 500 5 DARE ASK 479 6 DARE TELL 467 7 DARE CALL 407 8 DARE MAKE 317

9 DARE SPEAK 291

10 DARE TOUCH 275

further collocates:

1 N’T (XX ) 145 2 DO (VD0 ) 115

3 WOULD (VM ) 88

11 DARE USE 254
12 DARE PUT 232

13 DARE SUGGEST 219

further collocate:

1 WOULD (VM ) 65

   The Cricketer England v West Indies: Ben Stokes’ longest hour, Kemar Roach’s hoodoo and Shannon Gabriel’s unwavering commitment… The West Indies seamer, who has bowled far better than his record in this series would dare suggest, went 521 deliveries without taking a Test wicket – an unwanted, unwarranted record that began in Kingston 11 months ago.

14 DARE COME 216 15 DARE THINK 216 16 DARE CHALLENGE 204 17 DARE GET 192 18 DARE LET 191 19 DARE ENTER 170

20 DARE PROGRAM 166

dare _xx _vvi*

1 DARE NOT SPEAK 450 2 DARE NOT SAY 276 3 DARE NOT GO 179 4 DARE NOT TAKE 102 5 DARE NOT TELL 97 6 DARE NOT LOOK 92

7 DARE NOT ASK 89

8 DARE NOT TRUST 85 

(extremely religious Ngram)

  Parker Pioneer Pastors offer words of hope at Easter | News | parkerpioneer.net I dare not trust the sweetest frame. But only lean on Jesus’ name. On Christ the solid rock I stand. All other ground is sinking sand. This is a …

9 DARE NOT THINK 84 10 DARE NOT MAKE 74

11 DARE NOT TOUCH 67

12 DARE NOT LET 66 13 DARE NOT USE 65 14 DARE NOT LEAVE 64 15 DARE NOT TRY 64 16 DARE NOT CALL 62

17 DARE NOT SHOW 62

18 DARE NOT MENTION 55

19 DARE NOT COME 54
20 DARE NOT VENTURE 52

I think strange things which I dare not confess to my own soul.

listen

In the EVP, dare TO + infinitive is B2.

1 DARE TO SAY 1590 2 DARE TO DREAM 1019 3 DARE TO GO 696 4 DARE TO TAKE 526 5 DARE TO TRY 481 6 DARE TO SPEAK 479 7 DARE TO MAKE 436 8 DARE TO ASK 434 9 DARE TO THINK 380 10 DARED TO ASK 375 11 DARED TO DREAM 372 12 DARED TO GO 354 13 DARED TO SPEAK 354 14 DARED TO SAY 350

15 DARE TO LOOK 288

16 DARE TO CALL 285 17 DARE TO BELIEVE 284

18 DARED TO CHALLENGE 277

19 DARE TO ENTER 270 20 DARE TO CHALLENGE 267 21 DARED TO TAKE 267 22 DARES TO SAY 253 23 DARE TO VENTURE 251 24 DARE TO COME 240 25 DARE TO QUESTION 236 26 DARED TO HOPE 224 27 DARE TO USE 217 28 DARE TO WEAR 216 29 DARED TO TRY 216 30 DARED TO QUESTION 214 31 DARED TO MAKE 202 32 DARE TO STAND 195 33 DARE TO TELL 193 34 DARE TO HOPE 186 35 DARES TO SPEAK 168 36 DARING TO SPEAK 161 37 DARE TO BARE 160 38 DARES TO QUESTION 160 39 DARE TO PUT 159 40 DARE TO TOUCH 158 41 DARES TO ASK 158 42 DARES TO CHALLENGE 157 43 DARE TO IMAGINE 155 44 DARES TO GO 155 45 DARE TO GET 152

46 DARED TO LOOK 152

What if we dared to look at the world just as it is?

listen

47 DARED TO THINK 148 48 DARE TO SUGGEST 147 49 DARED TO SUGGEST 145 50 DARING TO DREAM 142 51 DARE TO LIVE 139 52 DARE TO CROSS 136 53 DARED TO ENTER 135 54 DARING TO SUGGEST 133 55 DARED TO STAND 131 56 DARING TO QUESTION 131 57 DARES TO TAKE 130 58 DARE TO STEP 129 59 DARED TO VENTURE 128 60 DARING TO ASK 127 61 DARING TO SAY 127 62 DARE TO GIVE 124 63 DARE TO SHOW 122 64 DARED TO TELL 119 65 DARE TO BREAK 116 66 DARED TO COME 116 67 DARED TO IMAGINE 116 68 DARE TO COMPARE 113 69 DARED TO CALL 113 70 DARE TO APPROACH 112 71 DARE TO EXPLORE 112 72 DARED TO USE 112 73 DARE TO TALK 111 74 DARING TO GO 108 75 DARES TO CALL 105 76 DARE TO OPPOSE 104 77 DARED TO CRITICIZE 104 78 DARING TO TAKE 104 79 DARE TO ATTACK 102 80 DARE TO TREAD 102 81 DARED TO PUT 101 82 DARED TO WRITE 100 83 DARE TO CRITICIZE 99 84 DARE TO FACE 95 85 DARED TO BELIEVE 95 86 DARE TO WRITE 94 87 DARES TO STAND 94 88 DARE TO PLAY 93 89 DARING TO LOOK 92 90 DARE TO ATTEMPT 91 91 DARING TO CHALLENGE 91 92 DARE TO MENTION 90 93 DARED TO SHOW 90 94 DARE TO SHARE 89 95 DARE TO LEAVE 88 96 DARED TO TOUCH 87 97 DARE TO BRING 86 98 DARE TO FOLLOW 86 99 DARE TO RAISE 86

100 DARED TO DEFY 86