8/8/2019 Auxiliary and Main Verbs
1/4
MAIN VERBS & HELPING (AUXILIARY) VERBS
Besides regular and irregular, verbs are listed as either Main Verbs or Helping (Auxiliary)
Verbs. To help you understand how a helping (auxiliary) verb works, picture the following.
A person you never saw before walked up to you and said I can , your first response
would be This person is a nut. If you are brave enough, you might ask You can what?
I can as a statement on its own does not make sense. You need another word to
complete the sentence. I can walk, I can run, I can help all make sense, it gives complete
information. In these cases walk, run and help are the Main Verbs and can is the Helping
or Auxiliary Verb . The helping verb helps the main verb make sense.
Another example of a helping verb is the verb Be. The sentence I am walking tells
you three important things. First, it tells you who is doing the action (I). Second, it tells you
what the action is (walking) and finally, it helps you to understand when the action takes place
or the Tense of the verb (am and the ing ending of the verb implies the action is happening
now). Helping verbs often tell us when the action takes place.
There are a total of 23 helping verbs. They are;
am are be been
being
can could did
do does had has
have is may might
must shall should was
were will would
8/8/2019 Auxiliary and Main Verbs
2/4
1. Twelve of these verbs, when used as helping verbs, combine with the base or dictionary form
only. They are
cancould did
do does may
might must shall
should will would
Examples
I will work. He can go. We should stop. You may go. They do go.
2. Seven verbs, when used as auxiliary verbs, combine with present participles (base form + ing)
OR past participles.
am are
be been
is was were
8/8/2019 Auxiliary and Main Verbs
3/4
Examples; I am singing. He is singing. He is done. You are singing. You are done. She was
singing. She was done. We were singing. We were done. They will be singing. They will be
done. It has been raining. It has been done.
3. Four verbs, when used as auxiliary verbs, combine with past participles only.
Being HadHas Have
Examples; I have gone. He has gone. I had gone. I was being robbed. I have chased. He has
chased. I had chased. I was being chased.
4. Nine are helping (auxiliary) verbs ONLY.
can could may might must shall
should will would
Exampes; I will sing. I shall sing. I can sing. I would sing. I should sing. I could sing. I may
sing. I might sing. I must sing.
5. F ourteen can be used as helping (auxiliary) verbs OR principal verbs .
am are be been
being did
do doeshad has
have is was were
Examples;
8/8/2019 Auxiliary and Main Verbs
4/4
Helping or Auxiliary Principal
I do like chocolate. I do my homework.
He does like chocolate.
He does a good job.He did sing He did what I asked.
He is going He is fatHe had eaten He had breakfast
Top Tip;
Short Answers;
When talking in everyday language, native speakers often use expressions such as: I
do. I will. He does. We might. You should. They might. I must. It could. It seems like
the auxiliary verb is being used as a principal verb, but this is not the case. The principal
verb is not said. The examples above occur only in response to questions. Do you like the
beach? Yes, I do (like the beach). No, I dont (like the beach). Will she come here? Yes,
she will (come here). No, she will not (come here). Does he study English? Yes, he does
(study English). No, he doesnt (study English).