What do can, have, could, and might have in common? They are all auxiliary verb examples. We’ll practice sentences and questions here! Read and repeat them all to help improve your English grammar, step by step! Today you’ll upgrade your English by learning:
- Common auxiliary verb examples
- Auxiliary verb example sentences
- Auxiliary verb questions
- Questions without auxiliary verbs (just so we can contrast things to get a clear picture!)
Auxiliary verb examples
Here are the auxiliary verb examples that we will be working with today. Read and repeat them to get comfortable with their pronunciation.
| Auxiliary verb examples | Meanings |
|---|---|
| do | To perform an action |
| have | To possess something |
| be | To exist or occur |
| can | To be able to |
| could | To be able to in the past |
| may | To be allowed to |
| might | To possibly be able to |
| must | To be required to |
| shall | To be determined to |
| should | To be supposed to |
| will | To be going to |
| would | To be willing to in the past |
Related: 60 Sentences With Be: Crucial For Better English!
What are auxiliary verbs?
Auxiliary verbs, also known as helping verbs, are used in English grammar in conjunction with main verbs to form the tenses, moods, and voices of other verbs. The auxiliary verbs include primary auxiliaries: do, have, and be. These auxiliaries are versatile and are used to create various forms and constructions in sentences, such as questions, negatives, emphatic expressions, and different verb aspects and tenses.
The function of an auxiliary is to provide grammatical or functional support to the main verb in a clause. For example, in the sentence “She is running,” “is” acts as the auxiliary verb, helping to form the present continuous tense of the main verb “running.” Without the auxiliary “is,” the tense, aspect, or mood conveyed in the sentence would be different or unclear.
Auxiliaries are essential in constructing complex verb phrases and are integral to expressing time, voice, and modality in English.
Auxiliary verb example sentences
So far we have looked at the words – but now we shall make some auxiliary verb example sentences. This will show you how they are used in real, everyday English. Read and repeat them all, and as always I would recommend making your own sentences with each of them, too!
- Do – Every morning, I do some light exercise before getting ready for work. It centers me!
- Have – She has the most impressive collection of vintage vinyl records I’ve ever seen. They must be worth a ton!
- Be – There will be a new art exhibit at the downtown gallery next month.
- Can – Can you recommend a good restaurant for authentic Moroccan cuisine?
- Could – As a child, Jake could spend hours building intricate Lego castles.
- May – You may want to bring an umbrella. I heard we are going to get a spot of rain later on.
- Might – The footy team might win the championship this year if they keep playing this well.
- Must – You must finish your homework before you can play video games, Tommy!
- Shall – Mary and I shall meet at the coffee shop at 10 a.m. for a quick catch-up. Would you care to join us?
- Should – You should always save a portion of your paycheck for emergencies, or at least for a rainy day!
- Will – I will travel to Japan next year to experience its rich culture and history.
- Would – Eve would always visit her grandparents on Sundays for a family dinner.
Related: Bend In A Sentence: 30 + Examples For Flexible English!
Auxiliary verb questions
To continue our auxiliary verb examples today, we’ll now have a look at some questions. These can be used for English conversation practice. I would recommend saying them all out loud, and then making your own answers to them, either imaginary or real! Try to use full sentences.
- Do you ever do yoga or meditation to relax after a long day?
- Have you ever had a moment in your life that completely changed your perspective?
- Where would you like to be 5 years from now?
- Can you think of a skill or talent you wish you could master?
- Could you tell me about a favorite memory from your childhood?
- May I ask what book you’re currently reading, and what prompted you to choose it?
- Might you consider taking a spontaneous trip, and if so, where would you like to go?
- Must we always follow tradition, or is there value in creating our own paths?
- Shall we plan a day out in the countryside? I’d like to see some greenery!
- Should people generally focus more on their careers or their personal lives in their twenties? How about when they are in their thirties and forties?
- Will you be setting any new goals or resolutions this coming year?
- Would you prefer a night out with friends or a quiet evening at home?
Related: 35 Intransitive Verb Examples: Better Grammar Guide
Questions without auxiliary verbs
Here are some questions without auxiliary verbs so that you can see the difference:
- You enjoy listening to classical music?
- She plays chess well?
- They need assistance with their project?
- He speaks multiple languages fluently?
- You go on vacation last summer?
As you can see, their meanings are clear, but they definitely sound quite informal!
Auxiliary verb examples: FAQs
Now that we have looked at and practiced today’s auxiliary verb examples, let’s spend a few moments thinking about some commonly asked questions on this topic. It can help us to get a bit of a deeper understanding of these very common verbs.
How many auxiliary verbs can be in a sentence?
A sentence can contain more than one auxiliary verb. These often occur when constructing complex tenses, passive voice, or when modal verbs are involved. For instance, “The project should have been completed yesterday.” In this sentence, “should have been” is a string of auxiliaries helping to express a modal meaning (should) with a perfect aspect (have) and a passive voice (been). Another example follows. How many auxiliaries can you spot?
This floor should have been swept already. What have you been doing all day?
Can a sentence have only auxiliary verb?
Yes, a sentence can sometimes consist of just an auxiliary verb. This usually happens in short answers or confirmations to questions. For example:
- “Are you coming?”
- “Yes, I am.”
Here, “am” is the auxiliary verb that stands alone as a full answer, taking the place of the full response. Here are 3 more examples so that it is really clear:
- “Have you finished your dinner?”
“No, I haven’t.”
- “Can you speak Italian?”
“Yes, I can.”
- “Did they call you about the job?”
“Yes, they did.”
What is an example of a sentence without auxiliary verb?
Sentences that don’t require an auxiliary verb are usually in the simple present or simple past tense. An example would be: “She sleeps eight hours every night.” There is no auxiliary verb here, just the main verb ‘sleeps,’ which indicates the simple present tense. Here are a couple more examples:
- Liam walks to school every day.
- They enjoyed the concert last night.
- Cats sleep most of the day.
What is the difference between main verb and auxiliary verb?
The main verb is the verb in a sentence that indicates the primary action or state of being, while an auxiliary verb helps give further meaning to the main verb by extending the tense, mood, or voice. For example, in “He is swimming,” “swimming” is the main verb, and “is” is the auxiliary verb, helping to form the present continuous tense.
| Main Verb | Auxiliary Verb | Example | Function |
|---|---|---|---|
| Swimming | Is | He is swimming. | Forms the present continuous tense. |
How do you identify an auxiliary verb?
You can identify an auxiliary verb by spotting it in front of the main verb, typically to indicate tense, mood, or voice. If you can change or negate a sentence’s tense or aspect by altering a word without changing the main verb, that word is likely an auxiliary. For example, in “She can swim,” “can” is the auxiliary that helps express ability. If you remove “can,” the sentence still makes sense (“She swims”), confirming “can” is an auxiliary verb. Here are 5 more examples for you to read and repeat
- Will you be attending the environmental seminar on renewable energy this weekend?
- The children are looking forward to the school field trip to the science museum.
- My phone has to be charged twice a day due to the battery’s age.
- Did they announce the winners of the community art contest yet?
- Pete would often help out at the animal shelter on weekends back in college.
Auxiliary verb examples
I hope you have enjoyed reading through all of today’s auxiliary verb examples and have seen how essential they actually are for English communication. If we don’t have them, our English would lack so much detail and meaning! Here are some other reasons we want to use them:
- They convey tense: Auxiliary verbs are needed to indicate the time of action, whether it’s past, present, or future. For example, “will” signals something will happen in the future.
- They express mood and modality: They help express possibility, necessity, or obligation, such as “can” for ability or “must” for an obligation.
- They are used to form questions and negatives: Auxiliaries are used to invert the sentence structure to form questions and to add “not” for negations, making sentences like “Do you understand?” or “She does not know.”