Auxiliary Verbs

Auxiliary verbs are super important in English. They help the main verb say exactly what we mean. They change the tense, mood, or voice of a sentence, making it clearer. Let’s break it down. Like, “I am walking.” “Am” is the auxiliary verb, showing the present tense. Understanding these verbs helps you answer test questions better.

Definition of an Auxiliary Verb

Auxiliary verbs, also called helping verbs, help the main verb show tense, mood, or voice. They include words like “be,” “do,” and “have.” These are important for making questions, negatives, and different verb forms. Knowing these ideas well can help you answer exam questions easily.

Examples of Auxiliary Verbs

To help you in exams, learn these helper words called auxiliary verbs. They work with main verbs to do different jobs. Understanding them well makes answering exam questions easier.

• Am
• Is
• Are
• Was
• Were
• Have
• Has
• Had
• WIll
• Would
• May
• Might
• Can
• Could
• Shall
• Should
• Must
• Ought to
• Need
• Do
• Did

How to Use Auxiliary Verbs:

Auxiliary verbs can perform various functions within a sentence or context. Auxiliary verbs serve as supporting verbs that alter the voice, mood, and tense of a sentence. Let’s look at how these verbs work to fulfil each of these demands.

Auxiliary Verbs: Mastering Verb Tenses for Exam

Understanding concepts will help you answer exam questions easily. Auxiliary verbs change the tense of a sentence. They show when actions happen.

• Forms of ‘to be’: These include ‘am’, ‘is’, ‘are’, ‘was’, ‘were’, ‘been’, and ‘being’. When we use these, we’re usually talking about actions that are ongoing or continuous. It’s important to pair them with the gerund form of the main verb (that’s the verb with ‘ing’ at the end). For example, “She is running” or “They were playing.”
• Forms of ‘have’: This covers ‘have’, ‘has’, ‘had’, ‘having’. When we use these, we’re usually talking about actions that have happened in the past or actions that have some connection to the present. It’s essential to pair them with the past participle form of the main verb. For instance, “She has finished her homework” or “They had eaten dinner before the movie started.”
• Forms of ‘will’: This includes ‘will’. When we use ‘will’, we’re talking about actions that will happen in the future. For the simple future tense, we just use the root verb along with ‘will’. For example, “She will go to the party.” If we want to talk about actions that will be ongoing in the future, we use ‘will be’ along with the gerund form of the verb. For instance, “They will be studying tomorrow.” And if we want to talk about actions that will be completed in the future, we use ‘will have’ along with the past participle form of the main verb. Like, “She will have finished her assignment by next month.”

To see how they work well in sentences, let’s examine the following examples.

Modal Auxiliary Verbs

Modal auxiliary verbs can be employed as supporting verbs in conjunction with other main verbs to highlight the likelihood, ability, necessity, or possibility that a certain action will occur. Take a look at the following examples to get a clear understanding of how it functions.

Test Your Knowledge on Auxiliary Verbs

Auxiliary verbs are essential elements in constructing proper English sentences. Let’s dive into a straightforward exercise to enhance your understanding of how to use them correctly.

Fill in the blanks

• Bhumi___ eating a mango.
• ____ you finish the food, I ____ given you yesterday?
• ______ you please pass the notebook?
• You ________ follow the dance steps.
• Your phone _________ damaged.
• I’m sorry, I ________ make it to your birthday.
• Aayesha________ submitted all the documents for verification last month.
• The Princess’s jewellery ______ stolen from the museum.
• Himanshi ________ asked to host the ceremony by his uncle.
• Rock and Rani _______ attending the event.

Now, let’s check your answers:

• Bhumi is/was eating a mango.
• Did you finish the food I had given you yesterday?
• Could/Can you please pass the notebook?
• You should/ought to follow the dance steps.
• Your phone should be damaged.
• I am sorry, I cannot make it to your birthday.
• Aayesha had submitted all the documents for verification last month.
• The Princess’s Jewellery was/had been stolen from the museum.
• Himanshi was asked to host the ceremony by his uncle.
• Rock and Rani will be attending the event.

By mastering the usage of auxiliary verbs, you can express yourself more clearly and effectively in English. Keep practicing to refine your grammar skills.

Auxiliary Verbs FAQs

What are auxiliary verbs?

Auxiliary verbs, also called helping verbs, are words like is, am, are, was, were, have, has, had, and others. They help the main verb convey tense, mood, or voice in a sentence.

How do auxiliary verbs change the tense of a sentence?

Auxiliary verbs help indicate different times when actions happen. For example, am, is, and are indicate actions that are ongoing or continuous, while have, has, and had show actions in the past or with a connection to the present. Will indicates actions that will happen in the future.

Can you explain how to use auxiliary verbs with examples?

Sure! When we say, She is running, is is the auxiliary verb indicating ongoing action. In They had eaten dinner, had is the auxiliary verb showing past action. And in She will go to the party, will indicates a future action.

What about modal auxiliary verbs?

Modal auxiliary verbs like can, could, may, might, will, would, should, must, and others express likelihood, ability, necessity, or possibility of an action occurring. For example, You must try the Dragon Chicken.