Forms of Helping Verbs
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Helping verbs are also
called "auxiliary verbs". |
All helping verbs are used with a main verb (either
expressed or understood*). There are 2 groups of helping
verbs:
- Primary helping verbs,
used mainly to change the tense or voice of the
main verb, and in making questions and negatives.
- Modal helping verbs,
used to change the "mood" of the main verb.
Study the table opposite. It shows the prinicipal
forms and uses of helping verbs, and explains the differences
between primary and modal helping verbs.
* Sometimes we make a sentence that has a helping
verb and seems to have no main verb. In fact, the main
verb is "understood". Look at the following examples:
- Question: Can you speak
English? (The main verb speak is "expressed".)
- Answer: Yes, I can. (The
main verb speak is not expressed. It is "understood"
from the context. We understand: Yes, I can speak
English.
But if somebody walked into the room and said "Hello.
I can", we would understand nothing!
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| Helping Verbs |
| Primary |
Modal |
| do |
(to make simple tenses, and questions and
negatives) |
can |
could |
| be |
(to make continuous tenses, and the passive
voice) |
may |
might |
| have |
(to make perfect tenses) |
will |
would |
| |
shall |
should |
| must |
|
| ought (to) |
| "Do", "be" and "have" as helping
verbs have exactly the same forms as when they
are
main verbs (except that as helping verbs
they are never used in infinitive forms). |
Modal helping verbs are invariable.
They always have the same form. |
Primary helping verbs are followed
by the main verb in a particular
form:
- do + V1 (base verb)
- be + -ing (present participle)
- have + V3 (past participle)
|
"Ought" is followed by the main
verb in infinitive form. Other modal helping
verbs are followed by the main verb in its base
form (V1).
- ought + to... (infinitive)
- other modals + V1 (base verb)
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| "Do", "be" and "have" can also
function as
main verbs. |
Modal helping verbs cannot function
as main verbs. |
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