Auxiliary Verb

Auxiliary Verb definition: In English grammar, auxiliary words are also called helping verbs. The use of auxiliary verbs allows the person to conjugate verbs in tenses. These tenses are other than the present and the past simple. When expressing notions of ability, probability, reputation, obligation, among others, they can be used. Passive voice is one of the most common ways to make use of auxiliary verbs; for example, The apple was eaten. As a result, to form the negative, one person just needs to add the necessary auxiliary verb to the sentence. 

Auxiliary verbs mostly add meaning to the clause and also the functionality in which it occurs. They usually accompany a participle or an infinitive verb. This helps to provide the main semantic content of the clause, respectively. Auxiliary verbs can also be found in some sentences more than two times.

Classification Of Auxiliary Verbs

There are several categories of auxiliary verbs, depending upon their usages and functions in a sentence. Tense is expressed, so is the mood of the sentence and the voice, with the help of auxiliary verbs. In order to do these efficiently, there are three different types of auxiliary verbs.

1. The first category of auxiliary verbs is the type of auxiliary verbs expressing tense in a sentence. These are often wrongly taken to be linking verbs, which is why it becomes extremely important to put these in context as to which verb they are being used. 
2. The second category of auxiliary verbs is used to express mood. These are often used in interrogative or imperative sentences.
3. The third or the last category of auxiliary verbs help in expressing the voice of a sentence. 

Examples Of Auxiliary Verbs

Certain examples of auxiliary verbs do be, has, have, may, can, etc. If there are some issues in understanding, here are some examples that will help grasp the concept better: 

1. She had been waiting for ages.
2. He had drunk it before we arrived.
3. Our dessert was eaten by the neighbour’s dog.
4. My phone will be disconnected today.
5. Did you lose?
6. Don’t forget to bring your purse.
7. The horses are driven through the field.
8. She can’t keep up with her job.
9. You shall heal your wounds before you start playing again.
10. No one can feel as helpless as the owner of the loud dog.

List Of Auxiliaries In English

As auxiliaries, here are a few lists of verbs that can function in the English language: be, can, will, would, could, dare, shall, should, do, have, need, ought, may, might. 

The uses of auxiliaries can vary and dialect across English. For example, the status of need (not), dare (not), and ought (to) is debatable. The number of auxiliaries increases when the negative forms can’t, won’t, don’t, couldn’t, etc., are briefed as to the separate verbs. Then they are no more considered as constructions. The verbs that can perform as full verbs or as light verbs would be ‘do’ and ‘have’. The auxiliary verbs also have a subclass that is the modal verbs. Modal verbs are not complete and lack a conjugated form, nor do they appear as initiatives, gerunds, or participles.

Multiple Auxiliaries

Clauses may contain one, zero, two, or more auxiliary verbs. In a sentence where many auxiliary verbs are used, it is a case of multiple auxiliaries. Usually, they also have a dispositive participle. The auxiliary contributes to the functional meaning of the sentence as a whole.