Auxiliary Verbs 

Explore auxiliary verbs like 'shall', 'might', and 'must'. Detailed explanations and a quiz to test your knowledge.

"Auxiliary Verbs" in English Grammar

What Are Auxiliary Verbs?

Auxiliary verbs (also known as the helping verbs) are small words that come with the main verb to create different tenses and voices. They are also used in formation of questions or negative sentences.

Auxiliary vs. Modal vs. Main Verbs

The table below summarizes the differences between auxiliary verbs, modals, and main verbs:

modals

auxiliary verbs

main verbs

making the tense/voice

contributing to the meaning

forming inversion/negation

being used more than once

For example:

Example

I have done so much for him.

In the example above, 'have' is an auxiliary verb that forms the present perfect tense.

I will be studying chemistry next year.

We are not allowed to use more than one main verb in a clause.

Auxiliary Verbs: Uses

Auxiliary verbs serve two purposes:

1.

Forming tenses or voices

2.

Forming interrogative or negative sentences

For example:

Example

I am studying hard.

'Am' is an auxiliary verb that makes the present progressive tense.

Are you studying hard?

'Are' as an auxiliary verb is used to make a question.

English Auxiliary Verbs

English has three auxiliary verbs:

1.

Be

3.

Do

Now, let's go through them one by one and see how they work:

1. 'Be'

The verb 'be' can be either a main verb or an auxiliary verb. Take a look:

1.1. 'Be' as a Main Verb

When 'be' is the main verb, it has a meaning of its own. It can be used in two ways:

It can act as a linking verb and link the subject of a sentence to the subject complement. For example:

Example

Max is happy.

Here, 'be' is the main verb of the sentence and it links the subject 'Max' with the subject complement 'happy'.

Martin was a student.

The verb 'be' can also be intransitive and take an adverb or a prepositional phrase as a subject complement. Look:

Example

I will be there.

She is in my room.

'In my room' is a prepositional phrase.

1.2 'Be' as an Auxiliary Verb

'Be' as an auxiliary verb does not have a separate meaning of its own. It is used to show the tense or the voice of the main verb. As an auxiliary verb, 'be' has two functions:

1.

Forming continuous tenses

2.

Forming the passive voice

Example

Sam is watching TV.

This sentence is in the 'present continuous tense.'

Ben has been studying all night.

This sentence is in the 'present perfect continuous tense'. Here, we have two auxiliary verbs: 'has' and 'be' and the main verb is 'studying.'

My car was stolen last night.

This sentence is a passive sentence and the main verb of the sentence is 'stolen.'

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2. The Verb 'Have'

The verb 'have' can be either a main verb or an auxiliary verb.

2.1 'Have' as a Main Verb

The verb 'have' as the main verb can mean 'to possess', 'to own', 'to eat', 'to drink', 'to experience', etc. For example:

Example

Mark has a baby sister.

I had breakfast with my friend.

Here, 'have' is the main verb of the sentence and it means 'to eat, drink or smoke something.'

2.2 'Have' as an Auxiliary Verb

The auxiliary verb 'have' does not have a specific meaning on its own. It is used to show the tense of the main verb. As an auxiliary verb, have is used to form the perfect and perfect continuous tenses. Look:

Example

She has arrived.

'Has' is used to make present perfect tense.

The house has been built in 1989.

'Has' is used to make a passive present perfect tense.

3. The Verb 'Do'

The verb 'do' can be either a main verb or an auxiliary verb in a sentence.

3.1 'Do' as a Main Verb

'Do' as the main verb means 'to perform, to act, or to behave.' Look:

Example

Do as you're told!

Here, 'do' is the main verb of the sentence and it means 'to act' or 'to behave'.

I do aerobics once a week.

Here, 'do' is the main verb of the sentence and it means 'to work at' or 'to perform an activity or a task.'

3.2 'Do' as the Auxiliary Verb

The auxiliary verb 'do' does not have a specific meaning. It is added to sentences in present simple and past simple tenses to:

1.

form negative sentences

2.

form questions

3.

emphasize the main verb

Example

I do not know Brian.

Here, 'do' is an auxiliary verb used before a main verb to form a negative sentence.

Do you know Brian?

Here, 'do' is an auxiliary verb and added before the subject to form a question.

I do know Brian.

Here, 'do' is an auxiliary verb used before a main verb to show emphasis.

Position in the Sentence

Auxiliary verbs can have different positions in a sentence depending on the presence of modals or other auxiliary verbs. When there are modals and multiple auxiliaries present in the sentence, one of the following structures should be followed, depending on the tense of the sentence:

Modal + the tense marker 'be' + (the passive voice marker 'be') + main verb (Continuous tenses)

Modal + tense marker 'have' + (the passive voice marker 'be') + main verb (Perfect tenses)

Modal + tense marker 'have' + tense marker 'be' + (the passive voice marker 'be') + main verb (Perfect continuous tenses)

Note that in the perfect continuous tenses both 'have' and 'be' are used. Additionally, the voice marker 'be' is only used in passive sentences and it is not present in active sentences.
For example:

Example

The building was being repaired.

Here, "was" is the marker of the past continuous tense and "being" is the passive voice marker.

I should have gone there.

'Should' is a modal and 'have' is an auxiliary verb.

It will have been prepared by the time we arrive.

'Will' is a modal, 'have' is an auxiliary verb that forms the perfect tense, and 'been' is used to create the passive voice.

When there is a modal in the verb phrase, it is the element that is negated or inverted; otherwise, the auxiliary verb must be negated or inverted. Look:

Example

I shouldn't have gone there. → Shouldn't you have gone there?

'Should' functions as a modal verb in negated form.

I haven't gone there. → Have you gone there?

There are no modals here, so, to create negation or interrogation, changes apply to the auxiliary verb 'have.'

Conjugation

When there are more than one auxiliaries in the sentence, the first auxiliary is conjugated. However, when there is a modal before the auxiliary, the auxiliary remains in base form and does not conjugate. This is because modals are always followed by the base form of the verb.

Example

She has been looking everywhere for you.

Here, both "has" and "been" are auxiliaries and "have" is conjugated as the first auxiliary.

She should have been looking everywhere for you.

When there is a modal, the auxiliary does not conjugate to show person.

Review

The auxiliary verbs in English are:

be

have

do

All three auxiliary verbs can act as main verbs as well as auxiliaries. The table below summarizes their differences as main verbs and auxiliaries:

main verb

auxiliary verb

example as a main verb

example as an auxiliary verb

be

is a linking verb or an intransitive verb

makes the progressive tense or the passive voice

Max is happy.

Sam is watching TV.

have

means 'to own, to eat'

makes perfect tenses

Mark has a baby sister.

The house has been built in 1989.

do

means 'to perform, to act'

forms negation and question in simple present and simple past tenses

I do aerobics once a week.

She doesn't like my boyfriend.

Quiz:


1.

Which sentence uses "be" as an auxiliary verb?

A

She is a talented musician.

B

He was very tired yesterday.

C

They are playing soccer now.

D

You are not allowed in this part of the building.

2.

Match each sentence with its correct description.

"Be" used as an auxiliary
"Do" as a main verb
"Have" as a main verb
"Do" used as an auxiliary
"Have" as an auxiliary
He does not enjoy parties.
I do yoga every morning.
The report was written last night.
They have a big garden.
She has finished her homework.
3.

Fill in the blank with the correct auxiliary verb.

you understand the instructions?

The documents had

signed before the meeting started.

She 

 never seen the ocean before her trip to California.

They

not know we had already left.

Why

you being so quiet today?

4.

Fill in the table by choosing main verb or auxiliary verb for each sentence.

Mark has a baby sister.

The house has been built in 1989.

Max is happy.

I do aerobics once a week.

Sam is watching TV.

She doesn't like my boyfriend.

main verb
auxiliary verb
5.

Sort the words to form a correct sentence in the perfect continuous tense.

have
might
she
working
.
been
late

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