Easy lesson 2: Auxiliary verb definition, types and examples

What Is a Auxiliary Verb?

An auxiliary verb, also known as a helping verb, is like a friend that helps the main verb in a sentence. It works together with the main verb to show different meanings, such as time, possibility, or necessity.

For example, in the sentence “I am playing,“ the word “am” is the auxiliary verb helping the main verb “playing.” It makes the sentence complete and gives more information about when the action is happening. So, auxiliary verbs are like teamwork words that make sentences more interesting!

Definition of a Auxiliary Verb

Those verbs which are used with other verbs to express question, negative and tense are used to express possibility and willingness, they are called auxiliary verbs. These are also called helping verbs. In other words say, The verb which helps the main verb in forming tense, voice, mood, etc. is called a helping verb.

Example: The words in bold in these sentences are helping verbs…

• I am playing.
• He will come.
• My brother has gone.
• You should do this.

The following are the main helping verbs – am, is, are, was, did, were, do, does, have, has, had, shall, will, can, could, may, might, must, ought, should, would, need, dare, used to. These Auxiliary Verbs are used like Main verbs and sometimes like Helping verbs.

Types of Auxiliary Verbs

Auxiliary verbs/Helping verbs are 03 types in English’s grammar.

1. Primary Auxiliary
2. Modal Auxiliary

Type 1: Primary Auxiliary

Verbs that are used as Main Verb are defined as Primary Auxiliary Verb. In other words, the Verb to be, Verb to have, and Verb to do are called Primary Auxiliary Verbs. They are mainly used as the main verbs in the sentence.

They are called primary auxiliaries because they help in making many grammatical constructions. As  (I) question, (II) tense, (III) passive voice, and (IV) their forms also keep changing according to the number and person of the subject.

Auxiliary Verb Forms

The 03 common auxiliary verbs are “to be,” “to have” and “to do.” Each of these types has multiple forms:

• to be – am, is, are, was, were, be, been
• to have – have, has, had
• to do – do, does, did

Uses of Primary Auxiliary verb:

TO BE :

1. In the formation of the continuous tenses; as, He is working, I was writing.

2) In the formation of the passive ; as,

The gate was opening. The work is being done by me.

3) To indicate a plan ,arrangement, or agreement; as,

I am to see him tomorrow. we are to be married next month.

4)To denotes commands; as ,

Mother says you are to go to market at once.

TO HAVE

1) To Auxiliary verb have is used in the formation of the perfect tenses; as ,

He has worked. He has been working.

2)Have to is used with the infinite to indicate obligation; as,

I have to be there by five o clock.

3) The past form had to is used to express obligation in the past.

I had to be there by five o clock

4)In negative and questions ,have to and had to are used with do, does, did; as,

They had to go. He has to go.

TO DO

1) To make an interrogative sentence; as,

Do u like football? Does he take tea? Did she write a letter?

2)To make negative sentence; as

I do not like him. he does not go to school.

3) In the imperative , do makes a request or invitation more persuasive; as,

Do be quite . Oh, do come !its going to be such fun.

Primary Auxiliary Verb Example:

Example of Verb to be:

• He wants him to be just a friend.
• I am a sports person.
• Is your friend a dancer?
• The doctor and the police are coming here.
• He was innocent.
• They were absent yesterday.
• Gopal had been eating for a hours.
• I’m happy to be a part of this project.

Example of Verb to have:

• You don’t have lots of currency.
• He has a gift.
• You had eaten food.
• I am having a lot of fun watching movies.

Example of Verb to do:

• Do you know about Ram?
• Does she love teddy?
• Raghu Nandan didn’t hear my words.

Type 2: Modal Verbs

Modal Verbs are auxiliary verbs that are used to express ability, possibility, purpose, politeness, request, etc. Can, could, may, might, shall, should, will, would, must, and ought, are called the Model Auxiliary. 

Model Auxiliary has 03 features:

1. Modal auxiliaries are never used alone, it is very important to have a principal verb with them. The principal verb can either be explicit or it can be implied. As; (I) I can go. (II) Will you go? Yes, I will.
2. The present tense of the modal auxiliary remains the same in any person. As; (I) I may pass. (II) You may pass. (III) He may pass.
3. Modal auxiliary does not have infinitive or participle forms. As; to will; to must; maying.

List of Modal Verbs

CAN	ability	I can bench 150 pounds.
	Informal permission	Can I help you with your luggage?
	possibility	Eating too many sweets can cause obesity.
MUST	strong obligation	You must come see this immediately.
	Inference/ logical conclusion/ certainty	She must be exhausted after running the marathon.
MUST NOT	Prohibition / restriction	You must not lie to your parents.
SHALL	Asking what to do	Shall we have some tea?
	offer	Shall I grab your coat?
	suggestion	I shall have to help you next time.
WILL	Instant decision	I will go home now.
	promise	I will be there soon.
	invitation	Will you come with me to the show?
	prediction	It will be cloudy tomorrow.
	Future tense auxiliary	Next week, I will be here early.
COULD	suggestion	I could help you with decorating these cookies.
	request	Could I please use your pen?
	Ability in the past	I could have been a champion diver.
	Ask for permission	Could I please go to the bathroom?
MAY	possibility	I may try to go to the library tomorrow.
	Ask for permission	May I have a piece of pie?
MIGHT	Slight possibility	She might lose her tooth tonight.
	Past form of “may” when telling what someone else said	Grandma said she might stay home.
SHOULD	advice	Should I stay here or go?
	Recommending action	You should try this candy.
	Uncertain prediction/guess	It should begin in a few minutes.
	Logical deduction/inference	I studied hard, so I should be ready to take the exam.
OUGHT TO	advice	You ought to wear your coat in the rain.
	Logical deduction/inference	15 minutes ought to be enough time to bake these cupcakes.
WOULD	Asking for permission	Would you like to dance?
	request	Would you please come here?
	invitation	Would you like to come with me?
	preference	I would prefer the aisle seat.
	habit	When I went to camp, I would swim every night.

Modal Verb Example Sentences

• Ram can solve the problem in no time.
• My brother could drive a car at the age of eighteen.
• May I use your laptop?
• You might take a little water.
• students shall pay their fees by the 10th of every month.
• People should obey the traffic laws of the country.
• We will try to help you in this UPSC examination.
• Every morning he would go for a long walk.
• He must go home.
• we ought to help the poor.

How to Use Helping Verbs with Examples?

To use helping verbs effectively, we should know how it is conjugated to represent a different tense. the examples are given below to understand.

• I am going to speak at the inaugural ceremony after 02 days.
• We are having chicken for dinner tonight.
• What are you doing?
• The children have been waiting to have balloons and ice cream.
• The Gayatri Apartment was built by J & K Builders.
• You cannot change your car.
• Do you need any help from me?
• I did have a friend.
• Were you feeling nervous when you were giving the interview?
• Ramesh will take care of the hostel students.

Examples:

1. Himani is making chicken.
2. she has spoken to the college principal about it already.
3. Tejveer has been drinking for an hour.
4. Ramesh was working at the Restaurant.
5. Roslin had not worked at the museum for five years.
6. My friend’s circle had been wanting to come village for a while now.
7. Mohit will be playing the piano at the party tomorrow.
8. The plumber will have fixed all the pipelines in a week.
9. The social workers will have been serving dinner for fifty people at this time tomorrow.

List of Helping Verbs of All Tenses

there is a list of helping verbs and how they represent the different tenses:

Serial Number	Tense	Name of Helping Verb
1	Present Continuous	Is
2	Present Perfect	Has
3	Present Perfect Continuous	Has been
4	Past Continuous	Was
5	Past Perfect	Has not
6	Past Perfect Continuous	Had been
7	Future Continuous	Will be
8	Future Perfect	Will have
9	Future Perfect Continuous	Will have been

Helping Verbs Exercises

Fill in the blanks with the helping verb in the following sentences:

1. We _____ been waiting for our examination results for 10 days.
2. I ______ meet Gopal soon.
3. We ______ going to be fit.
4. I just ________ stand your group of friends.
5. She _______ working as a nurse for two years now.
6. They ______ be reaching Mumbai by 9 a.m.
7.  _____ you still staying near Ring road park?
8. The flight ___________ arrived tomorrow at the airport by 4 p.m.
9. You ________ looking very smart.
10. The Prime Minister ______ giving the presidential address for the Independence day ceremony

Answer:

1. Have
2. Will
3. Are
4. Has not
5. Has been
6. Will 
7. Are
8. Will have
9. Are/Were
10. Will