2. What are “modal auxiliar Verbs”?
The verbs can, could, will, would, should, may,
might, must, ought and shall are verbs which 'help'
other verbs to express a meaning: it is important to
realise that these "modal verbs" have no meaning by
themselves.
A modal verb such as would has several varying
functions; it can be used, for example, to help verbs
express ideas about the past, the present and the
future. It is therefore wrong to simply believe that
"would is the past of will": it is many other things.
3. DIFFERENCES BETWEEN AUXILIARY VERBS AND MAIN
VERBS
"The auxiliary verbs differ from main verbs in the
following ways:
1. They do not take word endings to
form participles or agree with their subject.
Thus, we say She may go to the store, but
never She Mays go to the store.
2. They come before not in negative clauses,
and they do not use do to form the
negative: You might not like that. A main
verb uses do to form the negative and
follows not: You do not like that.
4. 3. They come before the subject in
a question: Can I have another apple?
Would you like to go to the movies? Main
verbs must use do and follow the subject to
form questions: Do you want to go to the
movies?
4. They take the infinitive without to: I will
call you tomorrow. A main verb that takes an
infinitive always uses to: I promise to call
you tomorrow."
