Examples of Auxiliary Verbs in English

The auxiliary verbs in English(do, have andbe)are used together with a verb main to form verb tenses, the passive voice and formulate negative sentences and interrogative. Unlike main verbs (go, play, study) that express actions, auxiliary verbs in English express time. For example:

• We are having lunch. / We're having lunch.
• Yo have never been to Mexico./ I have never been to Mexico.

There are also the modal verbs in english or modal auxiliary verbs that are used together with a main verb to express ideas, such as possibility, obligation or permission and not actions. For example: can, would, may.

Careful: auxiliary verbs do, haveand be (as auxiliaries) should not be confused with their meaning as main verbs: do (do), have (have) and be (to be).

• See more in: Verb tenses in English

What are auxiliary verbs in English?

Auxiliary verbs in English are verbs that help or “auxiliate” the main verb, providing grammatical information about it, such as verb tense, continuous aspect or passive voice. They are not main verbs nor do they express actions and in many cases they do not have a translation into Spanish. For example:

Do do you study english?/ You study English? (doIt has not translation).

Auxiliary verbs in English always need a main verb, since they have no meaning of their own and by themselves they do not convey information or have semantic value.

• See more at: Sentences with "dog" and "can't” 

What are auxiliary verbs for in English?

Without auxiliary verbs, questions or denials could not be formed in simple tenses, nor could passive voice or compound and continuous verb tenses be constructed. Auxiliary verbs in English serve to form:

• Negative and interrogative sentences. The auxiliary verb is used do to form the negative and interrogative structure of simple tenses in English (simple tenses). For example: Did did you go to school yesterday?(And not: You went to school yesterday?)
• Compound and continuous tenses. The auxiliary is used have to form compound tenses in English (perfect tension) and the auxiliary is used be to form continuous tenses in English (continuous tenses). For example: Bob es sleeping. (And not: Bob sleeping.)
• Passive voice. The auxiliary is used be to form the passive voice in English (passive voice). For example: Boston was founded in 1630.(And not: Boston founded in 1630.)

To take into account: Auxiliaries are used do, haveand beTo respond to yes/no questions and for the tag questions. In English, the main verb is not repeated, but rather the auxiliary verb according to the verb tense. For example: Do do you study english? Yes, I do. (And not: Yes, I like it.)

• It may help you: Questions in English

What are auxiliary verbs in English?

The auxiliary verbs in English are do, haveand be, from which other forms are derived that are used according to the pronoun.

Do

The auxiliary verb do It is used to form negative and interrogative sentences in the simple tenses:

Uses of the auxiliary do	Auxiliary forms do	Examples
It is used together with a infinitive to form the negative and interrogative structure of the present simple.	do/don't does / doesn't	Yo no live near school.
It is used together with an infinitive to form the negative and interrogative structure of the past simple.	did (question) didn't (denial)	Did you go to the movies yesterday?
It is used in short answers to respond to yes/no questions in present simple and past simple.	do/don't does / doesn't did / didn't	Yes, I did.
Used in statements to express emphasis on present simpleand past simple.	do does did	Yo do love you!

• See more at: Sentences with "do" and “does”

Have

The auxiliary verb have It is used to form compound tenses:

Uses of the auxiliary have	Auxiliary forms have	Examples
It is used together with apast participleto form the present perfect.	have / haven't has / hasn't	Have have you ever seen the northern lights?
It is used together with apast participleto form the past perfect.	had / hadn't	They hadn't visited New York before last year.
It is used together with willand apast participleto form the future perfect.	have	We will have finished by Friday.
It is used in short answers to respond to yes/no questions.	have / haven't has / hasn't had / hadn't	No, I haven't.

• See more at: Sentences with "have" and "you have”

Be

The auxiliary verb be It is used to form the continuous tenses and the passive voice:

Uses of the auxiliary be	Auxiliary forms be	Examples
It is used together with a verb ending in –ingto form the present continuous.	am/am not is / isn't are/aren’t	Yo A.M speaking on the phone.
It is used together with a verb ending in –ingto form the past continuous.	was / wasn't were / weren't	Dad was sleeping when the phone range.
It is used together with willand a verb ending in –ing to form the future continuous.	be	We will be lying on the beach this time on Saturday.
It is used in short answers to respond to yes/no questions.	am/am not is / isn't are/aren’t	Yes, I have es.
It is used together with a past participle to form the passive voice (passive voice).	All conjugations of verb to be	The children were rescued safe and sound.
It is used together with the auxiliary have / hadand a verb ending in –ingto form the present perfectand the past perfect.	been	They have been studying all morning.

• See more at: Sentences with the verb “to be”

Modal auxiliary verbs in English

The modal verbs in english(could, might, may) They are a type of auxiliary verbs that are used to express ideas or functions, such as permission, possibility or prohibition. Modal auxiliary verbs do not express actions. For example: You musn't interrupt the teacher./ You should not interrupt the teacher.

Like auxiliary verbs themselves (do, have, be), Modal verbs in English are used together with a verb main, but unlike these, modal verbs do not provide grammatical information (tense, aspect and manner), with the exception of will, that expresses future. For example: Yo will see you in a week. / I'll see you in a week.

Modal auxiliary verbs are used together with a main verb in the infinitive (without to) and do not vary depending on the pronoun. Are: can, could, may, might, will, must, should, wouldand shall.

Follow with:

• «Reported speech" in English
• Irregular verbs in English
• Negative sentences in English
• Interrogative sentences in English
• Description of a person in English

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