An auxiliary verb is generally conceived as one with little semantic meaning of its own, which modifies

the meaning of another verb with which it co-occurs. Basically, auxiliary verbs are function words, a
type of closed class which is constituted of words that have a grammatical function as opposed to
content words, which are an open class of lexical words. An auxiliary verb is used to add functional or
grammatical content to the information expressed by another verb, considered to be the main verb.
Auxiliary verbs are also called helping verbs

In English, verbs are often classed as auxiliaries on the basis of certain grammatical properties,
particularly as regards their syntax– primarily whether they participate in subject–auxiliary inversion,
and can be negated by the simple addition of not after them.

Certain auxiliaries have contracted forms, such as 'd and 'll for had/would and will/shall. There are
also many contractions formed from the negations of auxiliary verbs, ending in n't (a reduced form of
not). These latter contractions can participate in inversion as a unit (as in Why haven't you done it?,
where the uncontracted form would be Why have you not done it?), and thus in a certain sense can be
regarded as auxiliary verbs in their own right.

Auxiliary verbs are used together with a main verb to give grammatical information and therefore add
extra meaning to a sentence, which is not given by the main verb.

Be, Do and Have are auxiliary verbs, they are irregular verbs and can be used as main verbs.

Modal verbs are also auxiliary verbs, but are normally treated separately, these are can, could, may,
might, must, shall, should, will, and would.

An auxiliary verb is most generally understood as a verb that "helps" another verb by adding
grammatical information to it. On this basis, the auxiliary verbs of English may be taken to include:

 forms of the verb do (do, does, did), when used with other verbs to enable the formation of
questions, negation, emphasis ( operator)
 forms of the verb have, when used to express perfect aspect ( compound tenses)
 forms of the verb be, when used to express progressive aspect or passive voice
 the modals verbs, used in a variety of meanings, principally relating to modality.

The following are examples of sentences containing the above types of auxiliary verbs:

Do you want tea? – do is an auxiliary accompanying the verb want, used here to form a
question.
He had given his all. – had is an auxiliary accompanying the past participle given, expressing
perfect aspect.
We are singing. – are is an auxiliary accompanying the present participle singing, expressing
progressive aspect.
It was destroyed. – was is an auxiliary accompanying the past participle destroyed,
expressive passive voice.
He can do it now. – can is a modal auxiliary accompanying the verb do.

To be: Be is the most common verb in the English language. It can be used as an auxiliary and a
main verb. It is used a lot in its other forms.

Present tense form Past tense form

am/is/are was/were
Uses:

Am/Is/Are:

Question Positive Statement Negative Statement

Singular    

Am I? I am (I'm) I am not (I'm not)

Are you? You are (You're) You are not (You're not/You aren't)

Is he/she/it? He/she/it is (He's/She's/It's) He/she/it is not (He/she/it isn't// He/she/it's not)

Plural    

Are we? We are (We're) We are not (We aren't/We're not)

Are you? You are (You're) You are not (You aren't/You're not)

Are they? They are (They're) They are not (They aren't/They're not)

Examples:

Am/Are Is

Question - ? "Am I disturbing you?" "Is this your coat"

Positive Answer – Yes "Yes you are." "Yes it is"

Negative Answer – No "No you're not." "No it isn't"

Note: The auxiliary verb 'be' can be followed either by the -ed form or by the -ing form.

To do: The verb do is one of the most common verbs in English. It can be used as an auxiliary and a
main verb. It is often used in questions.

Uses:

Do / Does

Question Positive Statement (spoken) Negative Statement (spoken)

Singular    

Do I? I do I do not (I don't)

Do you? You do You do not (You don't)

Does he/she/it? He/she/it does He/she/it does not (He/she/it doesn't)

Plural    

Do we? We do We do not (We don't)

Do you? You do You do not (You don't)

Do they? They do They do not (They don't)

Examples:
 Do Does

"Do you always take the bus to "Does she ever do her homework on
Question - ?
work?" time?"

Positive Answer –
"Yes I do." "Yes she does."
Yes

Negative Answer –
"No I don't." "No she doesn't."
No

Note: The auxiliary verb 'do' is always followed by the base form (infinitive).

To have: Have is one of the most common verbs in the English language. Have is used in a variety of
ways.

Uses:

Have/Has

Question Positive Statement (spoken) Negative Statement (spoken)

Singular    

Have I? I have (I've) I have not (I haven't/I've not)

Have you? You have (You've) You have not (You haven't/You've not)

Has he/she/it? He/she/it has (He/she/it 's) He/she/it has not (He/she/it hasn't)

Plural    

Have we? We have (We've) We have not (We haven't/We've not)

Have you? You have (You've) You have not (You haven't/You've not)

Have they? They have (They've) They have not (They haven't/They've not)

Have is often used to indicate possession (I have) or (I have got).

Examples:
Have Have got

Question - ? "Do you have a car?" or "Have you a car?" "Have you got a car?"

Positive Answer - Yes "Yes I have a car." "Yes I've got a car."

Negative Answer - No "No I don't have a car." "No I haven't got a car."

Have is also used to indicate necessity (I have to) or (I have got to).
Have to Have got to

Question - ? "Do you have to leave early?" "Have you got to leave early?"

Positive Answer - Yes "Yes I have to." or "Yes I do" "Yes I've got to."

Negative Answer - No "No I don't have to." "No I haven't got to."
Have is used to show an action.
Question - ? "Have you washed your face?"

Positive Answer – Yes " Yes I have."

Negative Answer – No " No I haven't."

Note: When showing an action the auxiliary verb 'have' is always followed by the past participle
form.