The auxiliary verbs in English are be, have, and do. They are used to form tenses, moods, voices, negatives, and questions of other verbs. Be is used to form continuous and passive constructions. Have is used to form perfect tenses. Do is used to form negatives and questions in simple present and past tenses. Modal verbs like can, may, will are also considered auxiliary verbs and come before be and have in verb phrases.

1. Auxiliary Verbs
By Mehwish Ali Khan
taken from thelecturette.com
presented with amendments

2. What is an auxiliary verb?
• An auxiliary verb is also called a helper
verb
• A verb used in forming the tenses, moods,
and voices of other verbs
• It comes before some verbs
• Not all sentences have an auxiliary

3. Sentences with no auxiliary verb
• I played football last night
• I walk this way to school every day
• I like chocolate
Can you identify the verbs in these sentences?

4. • Auxilary verbs are divided into two
categories principal Auxiliaries and
Modals(secondary auxiliaries)
• "The auxiliary verbs of English are the
following:
can,,could, may,might will,would
shall,should, must, ought, need, dare used
to[modals]
– be, have, do, [non-modals

5. Here are some sentences with
missing auxiliary verbs – can you
suggest replacements?
• I _____ walking along the dusty road.
• Tomorrow I ___ swim for my school.
• I __ very good at maths.
• Dad _____ the dishes because mum cooks the
tea.
• I ___ spell all of the words on my list.

6. To do
do, does, did
• These are followed by the base form of a verb
• e.g. I do work very hard.
• Johnny does try his best.
• They did win the game last week.
• Put each of these auxiliaries into a sentence of
your own

7. To have
Have, has, had
• These are followed by the past participle of
the next verb
• e.g.
• I have eaten all of my food.
• John has climbed Ben Nevis.
• Debbie had hidden all of Paul’s pencils.

8. To be
Am, is, are, was, were,been,being
• Is followed by the present or past participle in the
sentence
• e.g. I am going to the park. (going = present)
• Kylie is singing at Wembley stadium.
• I was beaten by a better player
• They were running past the gates when they saw a
dog.

9. The auxiliary verbs are ‘be’, ‘have’, and ‘do’.
They are used with a main verb to form
tenses, negatives and questions.
He is planning to get married soon.
I haven’ t seen Peter since last night.
Which doctor do you want to see?

10. ‘Be’ as an auxiliary verb is used:
• with the ‘-ing’ form of the main verb to form
continuous tenses
He is living in Germany.
They were going to phone you.

11. ‘Be’ as an auxiliary verb is also used:
• with the past participle of the main verb to
form the passive.
These cars are made in Japan.
The wall of her flat were covered with posters.

12. You use ‘have’ as an auxiliary with the past
participle to form the perfect tenses.
I have changed my mind.
I wish you had met Paul.

13. The present perfect continuous, the past
perfect continuous, and the perfect tenses in
the passive are formed using both ‘have’ and
‘be’.
He has been working very hard recently.
She did not know how long she had been
lying there.

14. Examples continued….
The guest-room window has been mended.
They had been taught by a young teacher.

15. ‘Be’ and ‘have’ are also used as auxiliaries in
negative sentences and questions in
continuous and perfect tenses, and in the
passive.
He isn’ t going.
Hasn’ t she seen it yet?
Was it written in English?

16. You use ‘do’ as an auxiliary to make negative
and question forms from sentences that have
a verb in the present simple or past simple.
He doesn’ t think he can come to the party.
Do you like her new haircut?
She didn’ t buy the house.
Didn’ t he get the job.

17. Note: You can use ‘do’ as a main verb with
the auxiliary ‘do’.
He didn’ t do his homework.
Do the do the work themselves.

18. You can also use the auxiliary ‘do’ with have
as a main verb.
He doesn’ t have any money.
Does anyone have a question?

19. You only use ‘do’ in affirmative sentences for
emphasis or contrast.
I do feel sorry for Roger.

20. WARNING: You never use the auxiliary ‘do’
with ‘be’ except in the imperative.
Don’ t be stupid.
Do be a good boy and sit still.

21. Some grammars include modals among the
auxiliary verbs. When there is a modal in the
verb group, it is always the first word in the
verb group, and comes before the auxiliaries
‘be’ and ‘have’.
She might be going to Switzerland for
Christmas.
I would have liked to see her.

22. Note: You never use the auxiliary ‘do’ with a
modal.