Modals & Auxiliaries - Verbal Ability & Reading Comprehension - CAT

What are Auxiliary Verbs?

Auxiliary verbs, often called helping verbs, are verbs that appear with a main verb to add grammatical information such as tense, aspect, mood, voice or emphasis. They do not stand alone as the principal action in a clause when used as auxiliaries; instead they modify the meaning of the main verb.

For example, the auxiliary might expresses a weak probability, whereas the auxiliary will expresses a stronger certainty about a future event.

Auxiliary verbs perform several key functions in sentences:

• They express tense (time reference: past, present, future).
• They mark aspect (how an action relates to the flow of time: simple, continuous, perfect, perfect-continuous).
• They show modality (possibility, ability, permission, obligation, etc.).
• They indicate voice (active or passive relationship between subject and action).
• They can add emphasis or form interrogative and negative structures.

Kinds of Auxiliary Verbs

Auxiliary verbs fall into two broad categories:

• Primary auxiliaries
• Modal auxiliaries

Primary Auxiliaries

Primary auxiliaries are the most frequently used helping verbs in English. They also function as main verbs in other contexts. The three primary auxiliaries are be, have and do. They are used to form tenses, aspects, voices and to add emphasis or obligation.

Example sentences that use primary auxiliaries:

• I am watching cricket on TV.
• His grandfather was watering the plants on the balcony.

• Be

  The forms of be are:

  (a) Present forms: is, am, are

  (b) Past forms: was, were

  (c) Past participle: been

  Common uses:

  (i) To form continuous (progressive) tenses:
  He is reading a book.
  We were reading a book.
  He has been reading a book.

  (ii) To form passive voice:
  The work is done.
  The work is being done.

  (iii) To express a prior plan or arrangement:
  You were to visit the dentist.
  I am to go to Delhi.

  (iv) To give a formal command or instruction:
  You are to get the work done by tonight.
  The plumber is to repair the pipeline tomorrow.

  (v) With adjectives or nouns to express states, feelings, age, size, weight, price, time, etc.:
  Today is a cold day.
  I am not happy.
  My weight is 60 kg.

• Have

  The forms of have are:

  (a) Present forms: has, have

  (b) Past form: had

  (c) Past participle: had

  Common uses:

  (i) To form perfect tenses:
  He has read the book.
  We had done our household chores.

  (ii) To form passive voice with perfect aspect:
  The work has been done.
  The room had been cleaned.

  (iii) To express compulsion or necessity (in reported or past contexts):
  He had to go.
  You have to obey the law.

  (iv) To indicate that a job or service is arranged/caused by someone:
  I have my room cleaned every week.
  She has bread and butter for breakfast.

  (v) To describe consumption, possession or scheduled events:
  I have tea in the morning.
  He had the party at his house.
  You have a test tomorrow.

• Do

  The forms of do are:

  (a) Present form: do / does

  (b) Past form: did

  (c) Past participle: done

  Common uses:

  (i) To avoid repeating a verb already mentioned:
  He likes to read and so do I.
  You liked to dance and so did she.

  (ii) In short answers and question tags:
  You liked the film; didn't you?
  Yes, I did.

  (iii) To form interrogative and negative forms of the simple present and simple past, and in imperatives:
  Do not lean over the fence.
  He does not work.
  Does he?

  (iv) To add emphasis in affirmative statements and imperatives:
  I do go to the class every day.
  I did the work daily.
  Do finish the work for me.

Modal Auxiliaries

Modal auxiliaries (often simply called modals) are used to express ideas such as ability, possibility, permission, obligation, necessity, willingness and probability. Unlike primary auxiliaries, modal verbs do not change form for person or number and they do not take usual tense endings; they are followed by the base form of the main verb.

• Modal auxiliaries denote specific moods and attitudes such as possibility, probability, obligation, permission and ability.
• Unlike be, have and do, most modal auxiliaries cannot function as main verbs except in a few idiomatic cases.
• The common modal auxiliary words include may, can, might, could, will, would, shall, should, must, need, dare, ought to, used to, etc.

Modals express ideas such as ability or capacity, probability or possibility, permission, request, command, compulsion, duty, obligation and propriety. For example:

He should come and see his boss.
He could come and see his boss tomorrow too.

Most modals generally refer to present or future time; some modal constructions and their perfect forms can also represent past time.

Uses of Modal Auxiliaries

Modal auxiliaries are used to convey a range of meanings. Typical uses include:

• Expressing ability: He can swim.
• Expressing possibility or probability: It might rain later.
• Giving or asking for permission: You may leave now.
• Expressing obligation or duty: You must obey the rules.
• Making offers, suggestions or polite requests: Shall I open the window?

Rules to Use Modal Verbs

Rule 1: All modal auxiliaries are followed by the base form (infinitive without "to") of the main verb.

Modal + base verb

Examples: I will build the house next year. You can come to our house in the evening.

Rule 2: Two modal verbs cannot usually appear together in the same clause; a single clause normally has only one modal auxiliary.

Example: Windsurfing can be difficult. (Not: *can might be)

Examples of Modal Auxiliaries in Sentences

• Will you go to college?
• Would you be able to lend me a pencil?
• Shall I do the homework?
• You should try the chocolate cake; it's delicious.
• Lisa can speak French fluently.
• He could do it.
• Alisha may come here today.
• I might go to the beach this weekend if the weather is nice.
• You must obey your parents.
• I dare you to try spicy salsa!
• You need not come here.
• My mother used to tell me moral stories.
• You ought to work hard for your exam.

Conclusion

Auxiliary verbs are essential components of English grammar. The primary auxiliaries be, have and do help form tenses, aspects and voices, while modal auxiliaries express mood, possibility, ability, permission and obligation. Correct use of auxiliaries is necessary for forming accurate tenses, questions, negatives and for conveying precise shades of meaning in both written and spoken English.