Worksheet 3
AUXILIARY VERBS – Helping verbs

Always comes before the main verb in a sentence.

Help to show tense and number.
o The most common auxiliary verbs are:
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forms of the verb to be (am, is, are, was, were)
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Have (has and have)
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Do (does and did)
E.g.
The horse is running. (is = auxiliary verb. Shows subject as single)
(running = main verb)
They have danced. (have = auxiliary verb. Shows subject as plural)
(danced = main verb)
o Other types of auxiliary verbs (known as modal verbs).
Can, could, may, must, will, would, could, should, might, ought to

Main verbs that follow modal verbs are always in the infinitive form
(e.g. run not running. swim not swimming)
E.g. Can you run far?
She might swim today.
BUT: He might be staying. (might = modal verb. be = auxiliary verb)