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What is an auxiliary verb? Types of the auxiliary.

An auxiliary verb is a helping verb that helps the main verb to form sentences of different tenses, interrogative sentences, negative sentences and to express the mood of the speaker. There are two types of auxiliary verbs. They are:

1. Primary auxiliary, and
2. Modal auxiliary.

In this lesson, I will only take you through the primary auxiliary and its uses.

-Primary auxiliary:

The verb that helps the main verb/finite verb to form different tenses, negative sentences, and interrogative sentences is called Primary auxiliary verb.

A primary auxiliary verb is required to form all tenses except present indefinite tense and past indefinite tense. In addition to this, a negative sentence or an interrogative sentence cannot be formed without the help of a primary auxiliary verb.

Characteristics of a primary auxiliary:

• The primary auxiliary verb has no meaning of its own. It helps the main verb to form tense.
• Helps to form interrogative sentences.
• Helps to form negative sentences.
• Helps to form sentences of Passive voice
• In addition to helping the main verb, these verbs can also be used as the main verb itself, if necessary.

What verbs are primary auxiliary?

There are three primary auxiliary verbs. They are:

1. Do
2. Be
3. Have

The function of ‘do’ verb as a primary auxiliary:

As a primary auxiliary, ‘do’ performs three main functions. They are:

(a) To form question:

With the help of ‘do/does’, an interrogative sentence of present indefinite tense is formed.

Example:

• Do you go to school?
• Does he speak English?
• Does she love singing?

With the help of ‘did’, an interrogative sentence of past indefinite tense is formed.

Example:

• Did he sing at the party?
• Did she pass the English test?
• Did they win the match?

(b) To form a negative statement:

With the help of ‘do not/does not’, a negative sentence of present indefinite tense is formed.

Example:

• He does not play soccer.
• They do not speak English.
• She does not come here.

With the help of ‘did not’, a negative sentence of past indefinite tense is formed.

Example:

• He did not come here.
• They did not win the match.
• She did not send the email.

The function of ‘be’ verb as a primary auxiliary:

As a primary auxiliary, ‘be’ performs two main functions. They are:

(a) To form continuous tenses:

Without the help of a ‘be’ verb, no continuous tenses can be formed. As a primary auxiliary verb, it helps form different continuous tenses with the different forms of ‘be’ verb. ‘ Be’ verb has eight different forms. They are:

– Taking the help of ‘be’, the main verb can form a future continuous tense.

Example:

• I will be learning English grammar.
• They will be swimming in the river.

– Taking the help of ‘am/is/are’, the main verb can form a present continuous tense.

Example:

• I am writing the content on English grammar.
• He is telling me his story of being a pilot.
• They are coming today from New York.

– Taking the help of ‘was/were’, the main verb can form a past continuous tense.

Example:

• He was preparing his lessons.
• The students were listening to the lecture of their teacher.

– Taking the help of ‘been’, the main verb can form a present continuous/past perfect continuous/future perfect continuous tense.

Example:

• I will have been studying English grammar.
• I have been studying English grammar.
• They had been studying English grammar.

(b) To form the passive voice:

Without the help of a ‘be’ verb, no sentence of passive voice can be formed. As a primary auxiliary verb, it helps form the passive voice of different tenses.

Example:

• A mail was sent yesterday.
• I am told to help the poor.
• All students were told to prepare their lessons.
• They will have been happy to know the news.

The function of ‘have’ verb as a primary auxiliary:

Without the help of a ‘have’ verb, no perfect tenses can be formed. As a primary auxiliary verb, it helps form different perfect tenses with the different forms of ‘have’ verb. ‘ have’ verb has eight different forms. They are:

– Taking the help of ‘have’, the main verb can form a future perfect tense.

Example:

• I shall have gone there.
• They will have finished the lesson.
• He will have gone there by then.

– Taking the help of ‘have’, the main verb can form a present perfect tense.

Example:

• I have taken a grammar book of yours.
• They have taken your help in this matter.
• He has just finished his lesson.

– Taking the help of ‘have’, the main verb can form a past perfect tense.

Example:

• I had found my purse under the bed cover.
• They had found me at the supermarket.
• He had helped me write a job application.

– Taking the help of ‘have’, the main verb can form a future perfect continuous / present perfect continuous / past perfect continuous tense.

Example:

• I will have been doing the work at that time.
• They have been taking preparation for the coming test.
• Students had been practicing English to find a good job.

How is a primary auxiliary used as the main verb?

Yes, again I would like to remind you of the matter that all the three primary auxiliary verbs can function as the main verb to form different tenses. Here is where the English learners sometimes get confused about how it works. So, let’s a look at it.

– ‘Do’ as the main verb:

• Present indefinite tense: I do my personal work.
• Present continuous tense: I am doing my personal work.
• Present perfect tense: I have done my personal work.
• Present perfect continuous tense: I have been doing my personal work.

– ‘Be’ as the main verb:

• Present indefinite tense: I am happy.
• Present continuous tense: I am being happy. [With ‘be’ verb, this tense is rarely or never used.]
• Present perfect tense: I have been happy.
• Present perfect continuous tense: I have been being happy. [With ‘be’ verb, this tense is never used.]

– ‘Have’ as the main verb:

• Present indefinite tense: I have a beautiful laptop.
• Present continuous tense: I am having a problem.
• Present perfect tense: I have had a beautiful laptop.
• Present perfect continuous tense: I have been having a problem.