What are

Auxiliary Verbs?

Before we get started, we must keep in mind that

Auxiliary verbs:

• Are helper verbs

• Help the main verbs in a sentence to work

properly and to make sense

• Do NOT make sense on their own

There are 2 kinds

of Auxiliary Verbs

Primary Modal

Primary Auxiliary Verbs

To be

To do

To have

These verbs can perform two

different functions

1) They can function as the main verb in

a sentence (they express meaning)

2) They can function as helper verbs

(auxiliary verbs)

Let’s take the verb to be as an example.

In the sentences below the verb to be is functioning as a

main verb, therefore it is expressing meaning.

1) I am short. (expressing a state)

2) You are late. (expressing a state)

3) She is not scared of snakes (to be + not –

expressing negation)

4) Is he hungry? (asking a question)

Now have a look at the verb to be in the following

sentences and notice how its function changes.

Is it the main verb in the sentence?

Is it expressing meaning? What is it doing?

1. Jack is helping his father. (which one is the main

verb in this sentence? ‘Is’ or ‘helping’?)

What else can you notice? In which tense is this

sentence written?

2. They were running up the hill. (which one is the

main verb in this sentence? ‘Were’ or ‘running’?)

In which tense is this sentence written?

So what can we conclude from the previous examples?

We can use the verb to be to form sentences in

different tenses e.g.

* present continuous:

- He is helping … (helping is the main verb)

* past tense

- They were running… (running is the main verb)

In both cases, the verb to be does not express meaning, or

make sense on its own, but is helping the main verb in the

sentence to make sense.

We can also use the verb to be as an auxiliary verb when we

use the passive voice.

We can use the verb to be before a verb in the

past participle:

- Letters are written neatly.

- The child was bitten by a mosquito.

- Fox hunting is considered illegal .

- The necklace was stolen.

ATTENTION: Let’s have a look at the verb to do in the

following sentences.

Can you identify the main verbs and the auxiliary verbs?

1) I do my homework every day. (expressing an

action)

2) My mum does the washing up. (expressing a

an action)

3) He doesn’t do ({to do + not} + do)– expressing

negation)

4) Did he do the dishes? (to do + do - asking a

question)

The last Primary Verb: to have

Look at the sentences below and identify the Main Verbs

and the Auxiliary Verbs.

• I have eaten all of my food.

• John has climbed Ben Nevis.

• Debbie had hidden all of Paul’s pencils.

So what can we notice about the auxiliary verb? When do we use it?

ANSWER: We use the auxiliary verbs ‘have’, ‘has’ and ‘had’

in the present perfect or past perfect tense.

Therefore ‘have’, ‘has’ and ‘had’ are followed by the past

participle of the next verb.

• I have eaten all of my food. (eat – eaten)

• John has climbed Ben Nevis. (climb – climbed)

• Debbie had hidden all of Paul’s pencils. (hide - hidden)

Remember:

Present Perfect tense= Subject + has/have + past participle

Mary + has + written

Past Perfect Tense= Subject + had + past participle

Mary + had + written

There are 2 kinds

of Auxiliary Verbs

Primary Modal

Modal

Verbs

Modal Verbs

can, will, shall, could, would,

should, may, might, must

• These are followed by the base form of a verb

• Use each of these in a sentence of your own:-

• Can walk; will try; shall play; could tidy; would like; should work; may eat; might choose; mustbreathe

Do these sentences contain auxiliary verbs?

• I played football last night

• I walk this way to school every day

• I like chocolate

Can you identify the verbs in these

sentences? What are these verbs?

Look at the sentences below.

Which are the MAIN VERBS?

• I _____ walking along the dusty road.

• Tomorrow I ___ go shopping.

• ____ dad do the dishes ?

• ____ he going to the party?

• She ____ watching a movie with her friend.

• _____ I take out the trash?

• ______ I speak to you for a minute?

• You _______ study hard if you want to pass your exam!

As we can see in the sentences below, the main verbs alone

do not make sense. Helper verbs (auxiliary verbs) are

needed to help form good sentences. Can you suggest

any?

• I _____ walking along the dusty road.

• Tomorrow I ___ go shopping.

• ____ dad do the dishes ?

• ____ he going to the party?

• She ____ watching a movie with her friend.

• _____ I take out the trash?

• ______ I speak to you for a minute?

• You _______ study hard if you want to pass your exam!

Thank You

for

Your Attention