Auxiliary and Modal Auxiliary Verbs These verbs are also called Helping Verbs, as they help the

main verb to denote the actions of the subject. They help in making compound tenses of the main verb and also help in making negative statements, questions and passive voice statements. Two Classes of Verbs: 1. The auxiliary verbs: to be, to do, to have, etc. 2. The ordinary verbs: to study, to go, etc.

Auxiliary and Modal Auxiliary Verbs

Principal Auxiliaries Modal Auxiliaries Semi-modals

to be, to do, to have

Can May Must Ought Shall Will

Could Might Had to

To need To dare used

Should would

Auxiliaries: Forms
Infinitive to be, to do, to have Present Tense Am, is, are Do, does Have, has Past Past Tense Participle Was Been Did Done Had Had

The use of auxiliaries:

Auxiliaries Uses Am, is, are Was, were Do, does did Have, has had To form: all tenses negative interrogative question tag short answer (avoidance of repetition) passive perfect agreement disagreement emphatic responses (comment tag) Examples

She is sitting. She was sitting. She is not sitting. She was not sitting. Is she sitting? Was she sitting? She is sitting, isnt she?. She was sitting, wasnt she? Is she sitting? Yes, she is. No, she isnt That book was borrowed by Ana. He has called me. She loves me. Yes, she does. He will come on time. Oh no, he wont. I do miss you. He did work hard. I stayed up last night. Did you?

Can I Can you Can Can

1. less polite request permission 2. less polite request 3. present ability 4. Give permission 1. request permission
2. polite request 3. past ability 1. polite request 1. polite request 2. request permission 3. Repeated action in the past 4. To express preference

Can I use your pen?

Can you give me any money? I can speak English well. You can play hare with me.

Could I
Could you
Pure Modals Could

Could I discuss with you?

Could you accompany me? I could climb tall tree. Will you bring me your book? Would you please do it for me? Would you mind if slept here? I would swim every week last year I would rather stay at home than stay up.

Will you Would you Would you mind Would Would rather

1. polite request May I May

May I borrow your pen?

permission
2. possibility 1. more polite request

He may know where

Anita is. Might I borrow your pen?

Might I Might Pure Modals Should

permission
2. possibility

He might fall a sleep.

1. to express advisability You should study harder.

1. to express necessity

You must take a driving

Must
Must not

2. to express prohibition license.

You must not cheat.

Semi Modal

Ought

1. to express advisability 1. to express advisability

You ought to finish it soon. You had better sleep for eight hours.

Had better

Modals
The main characteristics of the pure modals are: 1. they never change their form irrespective of the subject of the sentence e.g. he can swim, not *he cans swim 2. following on from the above feature, they do not change to show past tense e.g. she had to leave not *she musted leave 3. they all carry the negative of the sentence by the addition of not/n't e.g. I can't remember not *I don't can remember 4. they all form questions by inversion with the subject of the sentence. e.g. should I stay?

Expressing Degree of Certainty

Present Time
Modal Degree of Certainty Examples

Must May Might Could

95% 50% 50% 50%

Why is Fina happy? She must meet her boyfriend. She may meet her boyfriend. She might meet her boyfriend. She could meet her boyfriend.

Present Time Negative

Modal Degree of Certainty 99% 99% 95% 50% 50% Examples Why was Fani sleepy? He couldnt sleep. He cant sleep. He must not sleep. He may not sleep. He might not sleep.

Couldnt Cant Must not May not Might not

Past Time
Modal Degree of certainty Examples

Must have been May have been Might have been Could have been

95% Less than 50% Less than 50% Less than 50%

Ray was absent. He must have been sick. He may have been sick. He might have been sick. He could have been sick.

Past Time Negative

Modal Degree of Certainty Examples

Couldnt have been Cant have been Must not have been May not have been Might not have been

99% 99% 95% Less than 50% Less than 50%

Why was Rita so sad? She couldnt have had any money. She cant have had any money. She must not have had any money. She may have had any money. She might not have had any money.

Future Time
Modal Degree of Certainty
100% 90% 90% 50% 50% 50%

Examples

Will Should Ought May Might Could

Joni has studied hard. He will pass the final examination. He should pass the final examination. He ought to pass the final examination. He may pass the final examination. He might pass the final examination. He could pass the final examination.