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3. Auxiliary Verbs

Auxiliary verbs are used to combine with other verbs to form tenses, moods, questions, negative and passive forms. The most common auxiliary verbs are: be (I am reading), have (They have arrived.), and do (We don’t want to go.)

   Singular                           Plural
I am/have/do                  We are/have/do
You are/have/do             You are/have/do
He is/has/does                They are/have/do
She is/has/does               They are/have/do
It is/has/does                  They are/have/do
  • In most sentences, you will have noticed that each one has two verbs.
EXAMPLE: Jill is riding an elephant.
EXAMPLE: Jack has gone with Jill to the zoo.

In the two examples, there are two verbs in each sentence – riding and gone are known as the MAIN VERBS, and they each has another verb before it. They are is and has, and these two verbs are known as AUXILIARY VERBS. Auxiliary verbs are also called helping verbs. The word auxiliary means providing help. They help the main verbs riding and gone by combining with them to show their tenses.

In the first example, is riding in “Jill is riding an elephant” tells us that the action is still going on, that is Jill is still riding the elephant.

 

  • Auxiliary verbs do not normally exist alone in a sentence without the main verb.
CORRECT: I would like to be rich. / INCORRECT: I would to be rich. (Without main verb)
CORRECT: He should try to do it. / INCORRECT: He should to do it. (Without main verb)
CORRECT: You must be joking. / INCORRECT: You must joking. (Without main verb)

However, auxiliary verbs without the main verbs are commonly used when the meaning is understood. This is often found in replies or responses.

Will he help me? Yes, he will. / Can you do this? Yes, I can. / Does she know you? Yes, she does.
Here, the auxiliary verbs (will, can, does) are used without the main verbs (help, do, know)

 

  • The following are types of auxiliary verbs:

Passive: This is used to show the passive form.

EXAMPLE: The elephant was given a quick bath.

Progressive: This shows the action is in progress.

EXAMPLE: The old lady is smiling at the elephant.

Perfective: This expresses an action completed in the past.

EXAMPLE: The monkey has eaten a banana.

Modal: Modals are used to express ability, permission or prediction.

EXAMPLE: You can use the car if you want.
EXAMPLE: She may feed the monkeys.
EXAMPLE: He will be a zoo-keeper some day.
EXAMPLE: We really should come here again.

 

Question: This is used to form questions.

EXAMPLE: Do you like those chimpanzees?

Negative statement: This is used to form negative statements.

EXAMPLE: I do not like those noisy monkeys.

 

  • Auxiliary verbs are often used in contracted forms. For instance, have is shortened to ‘ve; is/has to ‘s; and had/would/should/could to ‘d. In the latter case, care must be exercised to distinguish them correctly.

I’m quite sure I’ve lost my way. (= I am / = I have)

It’s the biggest dog in the neighbourhood. (=It is)

She’s naturally curly hair. (= She has)

They’d already gone home. (=They had)

We’d like to go now. (= We would)

He’d stop thinking every girl dislikes him. (= He should)

I’d speak seven languages. (= I could)

 

 

  • We can use auxiliary verb for emphasis.

EXAMPLE: I do like you.

 


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