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Thu 12 Mar, 2009 11:23 pm
I was admitted to hospital as I was very ill. I did not dare to sleep/go to sleep because I was afraid that I might not wake up the next day.
Is 'did not dare' correct or should it be 'dared not'? Is it 'go to sleep' or 'sleep'? Are there any errors in the sentence?
Many thanks.
I'm a Yank, and I know you like Brit English, but I would say "didn't dare go to sleep" (only one to"}.
@MontereyJack,
Thanks, MontereyJack.
It's not that I like BE, but my country was colonised by the British and so we were taught BrE. If my country had been colonised by the Americans, then I would be using AE.
@tanguatlay,
Well, I am British, and I would say "I didn't dare go to sleep" as well. I would write the same thing in an informal letter e.g. to a friend, but in formal prose I might well write "I did not dare to fall asleep" or "I dared not fall asleep".
@contrex,
Thanks, Monterey and Contrex.
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