What Are Auxiliary Verbs? (With Examples)

Can you answer the question: “What are auxiliary verbs?” Many fluent English speakers would struggle, even though they use them daily! However, auxiliary verbs play a vital role in constructing sentences.

In this blog post, we’ll delve into the world of auxiliary verbs, including a specific subset called modal auxiliary verbs. You will learn:

• The definitions of auxiliary and modal auxiliary verbs
• The way they are used in context
• The special role they play with main verbs

What is an Auxiliary Verb?

An auxiliary verb is used alongside the main verb in a sentence to convey additional information about tense, mood, or voice. Because they assist the main verb, they are also known as “helping verbs.”

The most common English auxiliary verbs are “be,” “have,” and “do.”

Auxiliary Verb Examples

Here are some examples of how auxiliary verbs work:

1. Tense

Auxiliary verbs can be used in various tenses.

The future tenses show events or actions that have not happened yet. They use the auxiliary verb will.

Simple future: She will be at the party.

The continuous tenses show ongoing actions that are yet to be completed. They use a conjugated form of the auxiliary verb be, combined with the present participle of the main verb.

Present continuous: Ron is dancing. (am, is, are)

Past continuous: He was eating. (was, were)

Future continuous: They will be working when you arrive. (will be)

The perfect tenses show that an action has been completed. They use a conjugated form of the auxiliary verb have, along with the past participle of the main verb.

Present perfect: I have been to England. (have, has)

Past perfect: They had been painting the kitchen. (had)

Future perfect: I will have finished studying by July. (will have)

2. Questions

We use auxiliary verbs to form yes/no questions in English.

Do you like strawberries?

Is she coming to the party?

Have you finished your homework?

Are you moving to Spain next year?

We can also use auxiliary verbs in tag questions – a small question that is “tagged” onto the end of a sentence – to add emphasis:

You like coffee, don’t you?

You’re related to Penny Miller, aren’t you?

It’s a beautiful day, isn’t it?

3. Negatives

Auxiliary verbs are necessary when forming negative sentences (i.e., sentences that use the word “not.”) We use them with the adverb not between the subject and the main verb, forming the negative verb.

I do not want any more tea.

She has not seen him all day.

They were not wearing suits at the meeting.

4. Voice

Auxiliary verbs are also essential for showing voice (active vs. passive voice). The auxiliary verb be is used with the passive voice to show that the doer of an action is not the subject. The active voice, on the other hand, shows that the subject does the action.

Active voice: Peter rides his bicycle.

Passive voice: The bicycle is ridden by Peter.

As you can see, we need to change the main verb (ride) into its past participle for the passive voice. The passive can also be in the past (was/were) or the future (will be).

Auxiliary verbs are vital for adding nuance and context to sentences, making them a fundamental element of English grammar. It’s important to know that many foreign languages, such as German and Spanish, don’t use auxiliary verbs when forming questions. You should keep this in mind when you proofread documents from ESL clients.

What Are Modal Auxiliary Verbs?

Now let’s explore modal auxiliary verbs – or simply, modal verbs! They are a special category of auxiliary verbs that express necessity, possibility, permission, ability, or obligation. We use these verbs to modify the meaning of the main verb in a sentence.

The most common English modal verbs are “can,” “could,” “shall,” “should,” “will,” “would,” “must,” and “ought to.” Modal verbs also include may and might.

Here are some examples of modal auxiliary verb usage:

1. Expressing Ability and Possibility

We use modal verbs to express ability and possibility:

She can speak French fluently. (ability)

We might stay another week. (possibility)

2. Expressing Permission

Modal verbs express granting permission and asking for permission:

May I borrow your pen? (asking for permission)

You can use my laptop. (granting permission)

3. Expressing Obligation

Modal verbs are used to express obligations and suggestions:

Students must complete the project by Monday. (obligation)

You should visit the CN Tower when you go to Toronto. (suggestion)

Modal auxiliary verbs are essential for conveying shades of meaning in sentences and are often used to express the speaker’s attitude or certainty about a particular action or situation. Moreover, we use modal verbs in hedging language when we’re unsure of the accuracy of our statements.

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