Auxiliary Verb
Mini Lesson
What is an auxiliary? An auxiliary is something that gives support or aid to something
else. We sometimes refer to an auxiliary as a “helper.”
Auxiliary verb – a word that helps the main verb show tense and aspect.
What are the auxiliary verbs?
Forms of do, be, and have.
Do
did
done
doing
does
Be
is
am
are
was
were
Have
has
had
having
Example sentences:
Catherine is feeling sick.
Javier Bardem was jumping when he won his Oscar.
Zac is dancing with Vanessa.
Sharpay has worn that hat before.
Sam does eat a lot of hamburgers.
(Have the students help you pick out the aux verbs in these examples.)
Show how auxiliary verbs can appear as contractions.
Catherine’s feeling sick.
Zac’s dancing with Vanessa.
I’m making cookies.
How to negate an aux verb. Show that there is a pattern to where the “not” goes in
relation to the aux verb. The “not” goes between the aux and the main verb.
Joyce is not going to the store.
Martin is not riding his bike.
Auxiliary Verb Lesson
Page two
Tree some of the sample sentences. For our purposes, we had the aux coming off the
S/C, between the NP and the VP. Some teachers might want to include the aux as part of
the VP.
See attached tree samples.
Tom was swimming in bliss.
I’m flying like Batman.
Kelly going to the store. (w/o aux)
Kelly is going to the store. (w/aux)
Tom is eating fried worms.
Steve has bought a new Porsche.
Follow up lessons.
Difference between aux and main verb when students see a form of do, be or have.
Eg: Well, I’ve been pretty much so, too, Huck. (from attached exercise sheet)
Auxiliary “do” (sometimes referred to as “dummy” do.)
Verb strings using auxiliary verbs.
Eg: Steve has been coming to the store.
Modal verbs
Participle verb forms