Auxiliary Verb Lesson - Definition, Usage, and Examples

Lesson Overview

• What Is the Meaning of Auxiliary Verbs?
• Types of Auxiliary Verbs
• List the Auxiliary Verbs
• Uses of Auxiliary Verbs in Sentences
• Auxiliary Verbs Assessment

Auxiliary verbs can make a big difference in how you express actions or ask questions in English. These verbs help us clarify the time of an action or turn statements into questions. In this lesson, we will learn the importance of auxiliary verbs and how they function to make your sentences complete.

What Is the Meaning of Auxiliary Verbs?

An auxiliary verb, also called a helping verb, is a verb that works with the main verb to show tense, mood, or voice in a sentence. It does not stand alone but helps form different verb phrases.

For example:

• She is running. 

(The auxiliary verb is helps form the present continuous tense.)

• They have finished their work. 

(The auxiliary verb have helps form the present perfect tense.)

Take This Quiz :

THE MODAL AUXILIARY VERB : MAY and MIGHT

Types of Auxiliary Verbs

Auxiliary verbs are divided into two main types: Primary Auxiliary Verbs and Model Auxiliary Verbs. Each type has a different role in helping the main verb in a sentence.

1. Primary Auxiliary Verbs

Primary auxiliary verbs help form different tenses, voices, and questions. There are three primary auxiliary verbs: be, have, and do.

a) Be Verbs

The verb be (am, is, are, was, were, being, been) is used to form continuous tenses and the passive voice.

🔹 Continuous Tenses:

• She is writing a letter. (Present Continuous)
• They were playing football. (Past Continuous)

🔹 Passive Voice:

• The cake was baked by my mother. (Past Passive)
• A new school is being built. (Present Passive)

b) Have Verbs

The verb have (have, has, had, having) is used to form perfect tenses.

🔹 Perfect Tenses:

• She has finished her homework. (Present Perfect)
• They had left before I arrived. (Past Perfect)

c) Do Verbs

The verb do (do, does, did) is used for questions, negatives, and emphasis.

🔹 Questions & Negatives:

• Do you like ice cream? (Present Simple Question)
• He does not understand. (Present Simple Negative)

🔹 Emphasis:

• I do like this movie! (Adding emphasis)

2. Modal Auxiliary Verbs

Modal auxiliary verbs express possibility, necessity, ability, permission, or obligation. The most common modal verbs are:

Can, Could → Ability or Possibility

• She can swim. (Ability)
• It could rain later. (Possibility)

May, Might → Permission or Possibility

• You may go outside. (Permission)
• We might be late. (Possibility)

Must, Should, Ought to → Obligation or Advice

• You must wear a seatbelt. (Strong Obligation)
• She should study more. (Advice)

Will, Shall, Would → Future Intentions or Politeness

• They will visit tomorrow. (Future)
• Would you help me? (Polite Request)

Take This Quiz :

The Ultimate Auxiliary Verbs Quiz

List the Auxiliary Verbs

Uses of Auxiliary Verbs in Sentences

Auxiliary verbs help in forming different tenses, questions, and negatives, adding clarity and meaning to sentences. 

Let's break down the uses of auxiliary verbs in sentences with auxiliary verb examples to understand how they function in different contexts.

1. Forming Tenses

Auxiliary verbs are crucial in forming various tenses. The most common tenses where auxiliary verbs are used are present continuous, past continuous, and present perfect.

• Example (Present Continuous):
  • She is playing soccer.
  • The auxiliary verb is helps show that the action (playing) is happening right now.
• Example (Past Continuous):
  • They were running to school.
  • The auxiliary verb were helps indicate the action (running) was ongoing in the past.
• Example (Present Perfect):
  • I have finished my homework.
  • The auxiliary verb have helps show that the action (finished) was completed recently.

2. Forming Questions

Auxiliary verbs are also used to form questions in English. In most cases, do, does, and did are used to create questions in the simple present and simple past tenses.

• Example (Present Simple):
  • Do you like pizza?
  • The auxiliary verb do helps form the question.
• Example (Past Simple):
  • Did she go to the park?
  • The auxiliary verb did helps form the question in the past tense.

3. Making Negative Sentences

In negative sentences, auxiliary verbs like do, does, and did are used with "not" to show that the action is not happening.

• Example (Present Simple):
  • He does not like bananas.
  • The auxiliary verb does is used with not to make the sentence negative.
• Example (Past Simple):
  • They did not attend the meeting.
  • The auxiliary verb did is used with not to form a negative sentence in the past tense.

4. Expressing Ability, Permission, and Obligation

Modal auxiliary verbs like can, could, may, might, must, shall, and should help convey different meanings, such as ability, permission, and obligation.

• Example (Ability):
  • She can swim very well. 
  • The auxiliary verb can expresses the ability to swim.
• Example (Permission):
  • You may leave now.
  • The auxiliary verb may gives permission.
• Example (Obligation):
  • You must finish your homework.
  • The auxiliary verb must expresses a strong obligation.

5. Future Tenses

To express future actions or predictions, auxiliary verbs like will and shall are commonly used.

• Example (Future Simple):
  • They will visit their grandparents tomorrow.
  • The auxiliary verb will helps express a future action.
• Example (Future with Intention):
  • I shall complete the project by Friday.
  • The auxiliary verb shall is often used in formal future expressions.

6. Forming Passive Voice

Auxiliary verbs are also used to create passive voice sentences. This is when the focus is on the action or the object, rather than the subject performing the action.

• Example (Present Simple Passive):
  • The book is read by the teacher.
  • The auxiliary verb is helps change the sentence to the passive voice.
• Example (Past Simple Passive):
  • The letter was sent yesterday.
  • The auxiliary verb was helps form the passive sentence in the past tense.

Take This Quiz :

Auxiliary Verb to Be: am, is, are

Auxiliary Verbs Assessment

1. She ___ going to school. (is/has)
2. They ___ eaten lunch. (have/do)
3. You ___ finish your work. (must/can)
4. ___ he play the piano? (Do/Has)
5. I ___ not like coffee. (do/have)