THE 23 AUXILIARY VERBS

1. Twelve (12) verbs, when used as auxiliary verbs, combine with the base form only (base form = infinitive minus to; for example: to go = infinitive; go = base form). will shall can would should could may might must do does did

OK: I will go. You can go. He should go. We may go. They do go. Not OK: I will going. You can gone. He should goes. We may went. They do going.

2. Seven (7) verbs, when used as auxiliary verbs, combine with present participles (base form plus ing: for example, going ) OR past participles (I have walked. I have gone.) am is are was were be been

OK: I am going. He is going. He is gone. You are going. You are gone. She was going. She was gone. We were going. We were gone. They will be going. They will be gone. It has been going. It has been gone. Not OK: I am go. I am went. He is goes. He was wenting. She will be goning.

Note: Been is the past participle of to be. But, none of the 7 verbs above combines with been. In fact, only three auxiliaries combine with been: have, has, had. One of these three is always immediately in front of been (for example: I have been sick. He has been sick. I had been sick.), except in the negative and interrogative (for example: I have not been sick. (negative) Has he been sick? (interrogative)). Also Note: Been cannot stand alone. For example: Not OK: I been here two years. OK: I have been here two years. Not OK: I been living here two years. OK: I have been living here two years.

3. Four (4) verbs, when used as auxiliary verbs, combine with past participles only.

have

has

had

being

OK: 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. Not OK: I have go. I have going. He has go. He has going. I had go . I had going. I was being rob. I was being robbing. I have chase. I have chasing. He has chase. He has chasing. I had chase. I had chasing. I was being chase. I was being chasing. Note: Being works best in the continuous form of passive voice, simple present and simple past only. For example: I am being chased (simple present). I was being chased (simple past). Not OK: I will be being chased. I have been being chased. I had been being chased. I will have been being chased. I am being tired = Not OK. I am tired = OK. I was being lost = Not OK. I was lost = OK.

4. Of the 23 auxiliaries, nine (9) are auxiliary verbs ONLY. will shall can would should could may might must

OK: I will go. I shall go. I can go. I would go. I should go. I could go. I may go. I might go. I must go. Not OK: I will here. I shall there. I can this. I would that. I should him. I could her. I may them. I might it. I must us. Note: Many times every day you might hear people say: I do. She 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 the principal verb is not expressed. The examples above occur only in response to questions. Do you like candy? Yes, I do (like candy). No, I dont (like candy). Will she come here? Yes, she will (come here). No, she wont (come here). Does he study English? Yes, he does (study English). No, he doesnt (study English).

5. Of the 23 auxiliaries, fourteen (14) are auxiliary verbs OR principal verbs.

do be

does being

did been

am have

is has

are had

was

were

OK:

Auxiliary I do not like cats. He does like cats.* Did you eat?** I am reading. She is not listening. It was running. We were robbed. They will be kissed. I have been studying. I have talked to her. He has driven a car. You had fallen down.

Principal I do my homework. He does a good job. You did the laundry. I am poor. She isnt rich. It was sunny. We were in New York They will be here at noon. I have been sick. I have some money. He has a new car. You had a cold.

She was being prepared. She was being polite.

*He does like cats. I do like cats. I did like cats. These sentences are in the emphatic form, and they are used only in the simple present and simple past; they are usually responses to statements or questions. For example: (1) John doesnt like cats. Yes, he does like cats. John doesnt like cats, does he? Yes, he does like cats. (2) You dont like cats. Yes, I do like cats. You dont like cats, do you? Yes, I do like cats. (3) She didnt like cats. Yes, she did like cats. She didnt like cats, did she? Yes, she did like cats. BUT: If the principal verb is a form of to be , do-does-did is unnecessary. OK: He is rich. Yes, he is. No, he isnt. He is rich, isnt he? Yes, he is. No, he isnt. ALSO:

If there is an auxiliary, do-does-did is unnecessary. OK: She isnt working. Yes, she is working. She isnt working, is she? Yes, she is working. **In the interrogative and the negative, do, does, and did are auxiliaries for the simple present and simple past--they are not emphatic. They are not used when the principal verb is a form of to be or when there is an auxiliary verb. For example (principal verb is a form of to be) : He is sick. Interrogative = Is he sick? Negative = He isnt sick. For example (an auxiliary verb): I am talking. Interrogative = Am I talking? Negative = I am not talking.