Auxiliary Verbs in English: a simple guide with examples and exercises

Dialogue

A: Do you like learning English?
B: Yes, I do! It is fun.
A: What are you studying now?
B: I am learning about auxiliary verbs.
A: Oh, really? I have studied them before.
B: That’s great! Can you help me?
A: Of course! But first, do you know what auxiliary verbs are?
B: I think I do, but I am not sure.
A: Don’t worry! I will explain.

Does she know what auxiliary verbs are?

What are auxiliary verbs?

Auxiliary verbs are helping verbs. They help the main verb in a sentence. They show time, questions, negatives, and more. Some common auxiliary verbs are:

  • Be (am, is, are, was, were)

  • Do (do, does, did)

  • Have (have, has, had)

  • Modals (can, will, shall, may, must, etc.)

How do we use auxiliary verbs?

1. Making questions

  • Do you like pizza?

  • Is she coming?

  • Have you seen this movie?

2. Making negatives

  • I do not like coffee.

  • She is not at home.

  • They have not finished yet.

3. Making different tenses

  • I am eating lunch now. (present continuous)

  • She has finished her homework. (present perfect)

  • We will go to the park tomorrow. (future)

4. Expressing ability, possibility, permission, or necessity

  • She can swim well. (ability)

  • You must wear a seatbelt. (necessity)

  • May I ask a question? (permission)

Practice

Fill in the blanks with the correct auxiliary verb:

  1. ______ you like ice cream?

  2. I ______ watching TV right now.

  3. She ______ not understand the question.

  4. We ______ seen this movie before.

  5. He ______ play the piano very well.

Summary

  • Auxiliary verbs help the main verb.

  • They make questions, negatives, and different tenses.

  • They also express ability, necessity, and permission.

Practice using auxiliary verbs in your own sentences!

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