AUXILIARY VERBS
Auxiliary verbs or auxiliaries are verbs which do not have a lexical meaning, but add to the grammatical or functional meaning of the main verb. It is important to note that some auxiliary verbs can also be used as full lexical verbs (meaning they convey a lexical meaning), depending on the context.
Mary did the dishes – here, the verb do in the past tense means Mary washed the dishes; it conveys a lexical meaning. This is not an auxiliary verb.
Did Mary do the dishes? – here, the first do (did Mary) is used to mark the statement as a question and to signify the tense. As such, it has no lexical meaning, and is an auxiliary verb. The second do, however (do the dishes), has a lexical meaning and is not an auxiliary verb.
We can also check for auxiliary verbs by switching the auxiliary verb with the subject (i.e. forming questions) and still getting a gramatically correct sentence. With full lexical verbs, this is not true.
Did Mary the dishes? – X – full lexical verb (did), cannot be inverted
Mary did do the dishes! – o – auxiliary verb (did), did adds emphasis.
Did do Mary the dishes! – X – full lexical verb (do), cannot be inverted
Another way to check is to add not behind the lexical verb (or subject in questions) and see if the sentence is gramatically correct.
Mary did not the dishes – X – full lexical verb, incorrect sentence
Did Mary not do the dishes? – o – auxiliary verb (did), correct sentence
Did Mary do not the dishes? – X – full lexical verb (do), incorrect sentence
The main auxiliary verbs are:
- be:
o as a linking verb (She is the boss.)
o to denote continuous tenses (I am playing the piano right now.)
o to denote the passive voice (The building was demolished.)
o in the 'going to' future tense (He is going to buy a new car.)
- do:
o for forming negative sentences and questions in Present Simple and Past Simple tenses (Did she go home yet?)
o for emphasis (I did call you!)
- have
o for forming perfect tenses (She has moved to London.)
- modal verbs
o for expressing modality (He can ski.)
Auxiliary verbs or auxiliaries are verbs which do not have a lexical meaning, but add to the grammatical or functional meaning of the main verb. It is important to note that some auxiliary verbs can also be used as full lexical verbs (meaning they convey a lexical meaning), depending on the context.
Mary did the dishes – here, the verb do in the past tense means Mary washed the dishes; it conveys a lexical meaning. This is not an auxiliary verb.
Did Mary do the dishes? – here, the first do (did Mary) is used to mark the statement as a question and to signify the tense. As such, it has no lexical meaning, and is an auxiliary verb. The second do, however (do the dishes), has a lexical meaning and is not an auxiliary verb.
We can also check for auxiliary verbs by switching the auxiliary verb with the subject (i.e. forming questions) and still getting a gramatically correct sentence. With full lexical verbs, this is not true.
Did Mary the dishes? – X – full lexical verb (did), cannot be inverted
Mary did do the dishes! – o – auxiliary verb (did), did adds emphasis.
Did do Mary the dishes! – X – full lexical verb (do), cannot be inverted
Another way to check is to add not behind the lexical verb (or subject in questions) and see if the sentence is gramatically correct.
Mary did not the dishes – X – full lexical verb, incorrect sentence
Did Mary not do the dishes? – o – auxiliary verb (did), correct sentence
Did Mary do not the dishes? – X – full lexical verb (do), incorrect sentence
The main auxiliary verbs are:
- be:
o as a linking verb (She is the boss.)
o to denote continuous tenses (I am playing the piano right now.)
o to denote the passive voice (The building was demolished.)
o in the 'going to' future tense (He is going to buy a new car.)
- do:
o for forming negative sentences and questions in Present Simple and Past Simple tenses (Did she go home yet?)
o for emphasis (I did call you!)
- have
o for forming perfect tenses (She has moved to London.)
- modal verbs
o for expressing modality (He can ski.)