Auxiliary Verbs Examples [List]
An auxiliary verb is also known as a helping verb. It helps the main verb. With auxiliary verbs, we can write the sentences in different moods, voices, and tenses. Auxiliary verbs express possibility, ability, obligation, or permission.
These verbs are, have, shall, will, would, should, may, might, can, could, must, ought, etc.
Main auxiliary verbs
The main auxiliary verbs are three as to have, to be, and to do. They appear like:
- To be: is, am, are, being, been, was, were, will be
- To have: have, has, had, will have, having
- To do: do, does, did, will do
May, might, ought to, must, will, shall, should, would are called modal verbs or modal auxiliary verbs. These verbs don’t change their forms.
Multiple auxiliaries
A sentence can have more than one auxiliary verb.
Examples of Auxiliary verbs
Following are examples of multiple auxiliary verbs.
Single auxiliary verb
- The dog is running across the road.
- Michael S has bought a new car.
- He was closing the door.
- Dell is playing this song.
- They will enjoy the party.
- I have gone to university.
Two auxiliary verbs
- He will do his work on time.
- Stan Shih has been building his house.
- We will have to arrive at 10 o’clock.
- She has been baking the cake in the oven.
- He was leaving the office at 3 pm when he had to go back.
- They are talking about the world tour where they will go next week.
Three auxiliary verbs
- He will have been lifting a pencil from the floor.
- We might have been going to Texas.
- She has been writing storybooks since she was twenty years old.
More examples with miscellaneous auxiliary verbs
- The roof of the house was leaking.
- Will you help her to clean the house?
- He was reading a book before going to sleep.
- Children were brushing their teeth before going to bed.
- We must exercise daily.
- The cat can drink all the milk.
- The baby was crying when he saw a horrible dog.
- Michael S will have finished his dinner and cleaned the table.
- She had to call her mom and tell her the actual situation.
- Zhang Yiming will go out and play with his friends.
- They were planning for a picnic, later on, postponed.
- He has to leave the party and must go home.
- Dell may meet his friend in the office.
- When will you go out?
- We can’t reach there on time to meet his boss.
- Would you want to go there?
- You ought to respect elders.
- Did you complete your homework?
- You should leave your job.
- I could not complete the given task.
- They must be honest with their fellows.
- She was too pretty.
- Michael S was in horrible pain.
- We are watching a movie.
- The car tire was changed by Stan Shih.
- It is raining outside.
- I was preparing breakfast.
- Dell might have ordered him to go out.
- Would you like to have tea?
- I shall go to the dentist.
- You should call the doctor right now.
- You can use my mobile phone.
- May God bless you.
- Had you reached there on time?
