Auxiliary Verbs

BE The verb be can be used as an auxiliary and a full verb, we can distinguish between the two uses as the
auxiliary be will always have another main verb coming after it in a sentence. Be is an irregular verb with many different forms according to the different tenses. Please refer to the Irregular Verbs list to avoid confusion. Progressive Tense Use of Be: In progressive tense sentences made with be, we always use the -ing suffixed version of the main verb. Tense Present Progressive Past Progressive Present Perfect Progressive Past Perfect Progressive Meaning Use of Be The action which is ongoing She is baking a cake today. An action that was ongoing She was baking a cake in the past. yesterday. Action that began in the past She has been baking a cake and is still going on. today. Action that started in past She had been baking a cake and finished at another time last night. in the past.
Passive Voice Use of Be: Using passive voice means when we want to put the emphasis on the object, to which the action is being done instead of on the subject or not include the subject at all e.g. The dishes are washed. - Here the dishes are the object that received the action of washing but no subject is mentioned to show who was washing the dishes. Passive Simple Present Simple Past Present Perfect Past Perfect Future Use of Be The cake is made. The cake was made. The cake has been made. The cake had been made. The cake will be made.
HAVE The verb have can also be used as full verb or a helping verb. The way to differentiate between them is that if have is used as an auxiliary verb, then it has to be followed by a main verb as well. The verb have is used to make compound tenses in active and passive voices, and also used in the making of negative sentences and questions. It is an irregular verb that changes form according to tense. Using Have in Compound Tenses: When we use have in simple tense with an active voice, we use the -ed suffixed form of the main verb unless it is an irregular verb. While for progressive tenses we use the -ing suffixed form of the main verb. Have is used for only two compound tenses in the passive voice. Tense Present Perfect Past Perfect Present Perfect Progressive Past perfect Progressive Present Perfect (Passive Voice) Past Perfect (Passive Voice) Meaning Use of Have Action that happened at unspecified time She has baked a cake. before now Action that happened before another She had baked a cake. action in the past Action that began in the past and is still She has been baking a cake. going on. Action that started in past and finished at She had been baking a cake. another time in the past. Action that happened at unspecified time The cake has been made. before now Action that happened before another The cake had been made. action in the past
Negative Sentences and Questions: While making negative sentences and questions with have as an auxiliary verb, we need to be careful to put have before the other verb otherwise have becomes the main verb of the sentence.
She does not have a cake. - In this sentence have is the main verb while does not becomes the auxiliary verb. She has not got a cake.
- In this sentence have is the helping verb for the main verb which is got.
Has she got cake? - Here the main verb is got and the helping verb is have as it comes before the main verb. Does she have cake? - In this sentence the main verb is have as it comes after the helping verb does. WILL The verb will is the only auxiliary verb that can never be a main verb. It is always used as an auxiliary to make future tenses and negative sentences. Also, it remains the same throughout every tense and person. Future Tense Use of Will: Tense Future I Future I I Meaning Use of Will
An action promised/assumed in the future. She will not bake a cake. An action that will be finished in the future. She will have baked a cake.
Negative Sentences: In negative sentences, the verb will does not change its form when used with not. But it does form the contraction wont that is equally correct to use depending upon the language and flow of the sentence. She will not have cake. = She wont have cake. - As will can only be an auxiliary verb, both the sentences are grammatically correct. DO The helping verb do can also act a full verb only in positive sentences. When do is used in a negative sentence, it is an auxiliary verb. The helping verb do is also used to make questions for most verbs except other auxiliary verbs and the modal verbs. Do is an irregular verb that changes its form according to the tense. Negative Sentences:
Tense Simple Present Simple Past
Meaning Use of Do Action taking place now - once or several She does not bake cakes. times or never. Action that happened in the past - once/ many She did not bake cakes. times/ never.
Questions: When do is used to make a sentence, we can only ask the question in the simple tense. For other tenses, we have to use other verbs whether main or auxiliary. Tense Simple Present Simple Past Meaning Use of Do Action taking place now - once or several Does she bake cakes? times or never. Action that happened in the past - once/ many Did she bake a cake? times/ never.
Places Where Do is Not Used: There are certain instances where the auxiliary verb do is not used for negative sentences or questions. The following table tells the different reasons and instances where and why do is not used. Reason The main verb is Be There is another Helping Verb There is a Modal Verb Negative Sentence There was no cake. There wont be any cake. She cant make a cake Question Is there any cake? Will you have some cake? Can she make a cake?

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BE The verb be can be used as an auxiliary and a full verb, we can distinguish between the two uses as the

Tense Simple Present Simple Past

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