AUXILIARY & MODAL VERBS

AUXILIARY & MODAL VERBS

There are primary auxiliaries: be, have
and do and modal auxiliaries: shall,
should, will, would, may, might, can,
could, must, ought to, used to, need
and dare

AUXILIARY & MODAL VERBS

USES:
1.In short answers
2.To avoid repetition
3.With echo questions
4.To show emphasis
5.With question tags

SHORT ANSWERS
We use them instead of answering just
YES or NO. It sounds more polite and
natural.
Examples:
Do you speak German? No, I dont.
Are they at home? Yes, they are.
Can we stay here? Yes, you can.

TO AVOID REPETITION
To avoid repeating the main verb / verb
phrase:
Examples:
I love comedies, but my husband doesnt.
Erin is studying, but John isnt.
They can say what they want, but we cant.

TO SHOW EMPHASIS
It is common to use auxiliary verbs in positive
sentences when we contradict or deny what
someone has said or when we want to give extra
emphasis.
In these sentences the auxiliary is stressed
strongly.
Examples:
A: Are you a vegetarian?
B: I do eat meat, but I prefer fish.
A: You didnt lock the door.
B: I did lock the door.

ECHO QUESTIONS
We make echo questions to show an
interest in what someone is saying.
Theyre called echo questions because
they repeat a part of what the other
speaker has said.
They have a rising intonation.
Examples:
A: I love Coldplay.
B: Do you?
A: They dont eat meat.
B: Dont they?

QUESTION TAGS
Tag questions are used:
To ask another person to agree with you
Its a nice day, isnt it?
(Intonation goes down)
Its not really a question.
To check something which you think is true
Jack isnt your brother, is he?
(Intonation goes up)
Its a real question.

QUESTION TAGS
They are formed by an auxiliary verb and a
pronoun.
Examples:
Jack isnt your brother, is he?
Mabel lives in Cardiff, doesnt she?
They have finished their homework, havent
they?

QUESTION TAGS
Add a negative question tag (-) to a positive
statement (+)
We get too much homework, dont we?
Add a positive question tag (+) to a negative
statement (-)
The police dont have many clues, do they?

QUESTION TAGS
1) Question tags with the verb To Be
Hes a painter, isnt he?
Im clever, arent I?

2) Question tags with a full verb

You prefer tea, dont you?
He doesnt work any more, does he?

QUESTION TAGS
3) Question tags with modal verbs

We should write our report today, shouldnt

we?
We cant take pictures of the room, can we?
You wont forget it, will you?
Theyve already finished it, havent they?

QUESTION TAGS
4) After an order or request with imperatives
Close the door, will you?
Dont make so much noise, will you?
5) After lets, we use shall we? to make
suggestions
Lets go for a swim, shall we?
Lets get something to eat, shall we?

ANSWERING TAG QUESTIONS

You have coffee every morning, dont you?
Agree

Disagree

Yes, I do.

No, I dont.

You dont like classical music, do you?

Agree

Disagree

No, I dont.

Yes, I do.

AUXILIARY & MODAL VERBS

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