Tuesday 23 October 2012

Perfect Tense Examples (Proverbs and Quotations)

Proverbs

Note the use of the Present Perfect Tense in the following proverbs and sayings.

  1. It is too late to lock the stable after the horse has bolted.
  2. Who has never tasted bitter, knows not what is sweet.
  3. The cow knows not what her tail is worth until she has lost it.
  4. We know not what is good until we have lost it.
  5. When children stand quiet they have done something ill.
  6. Don’t sell the bear’s skin before you have caught the bear.
  7. Every oak has been an acorn.
  8. Drink as you have brewed.
  9. Wine has drowned more men than the sea. (Bacchus has drowned more men than Neptune.)
  10. A thief passes for a gentleman when stealing has made him rich.
  11. A lot of water has run under the bridge.
  12. Life is what you make of it. Always has been, always will be.
  13. Success has brought many to destruction.

Monday 8 October 2012

Modal Verb Dare

Dare

As a modal verb dare has two forms: dare for the present and dared for the past. It is used mostly in interrogative and negative sentences. 'Dare' means 'to have the courage to do something'. In negative sentences it denotes lack of courage to do something.

Examples:  
 She dare not open her mouth. (She hasn’t got the courage.)
 Dare he tell them what he knows? (Is he brave enough to tell them?)

Patterns. Read and memorize!

Affirmative 1 Interrogative Negative
I dare say this. Dare I say this?I dare not say this.

She dare say this.Dare she say this? She dare not say this.
He dare say this.Dare he say this? He dare not say this.
We dare say this.Dare we say this? We dare not say this.
You dare say this.Dare you say this? You dare not say this.
They dare say this.Dare they say this? They dare not say this.

Note 1: - Modal verb 'dare' is mostly used in interrogative and negative sentences.

Note 2: – There is a contracted negative daren’t [deənt]. In British English, the negative 'daren’t' is frequent:
E. g. :  She daren’t tell the boss because she doesn’t want to make trouble.