Questions tagged [auxiliary-verbs]
Use this tag if you are asking about the usage of Auxiliary/Helping Verbs. Auxiliary/Helping Verbs are verbs that are used with other full verbs to make the different tenses, voice or modality in a sentence.
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"were to precede" instead of "preceded": cannot parse this sentence structure
Suppose this sentence
It would be helpful if you were to precede the report with an introduction.
I just cannot figure out why in this sentence, author used "were to precede". In my opinion ...
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So/Neither + auxiliary verb
1
Vinay plays cricket, so does Ashok.
We use so+ auxiliary verb when second person( Ashok in case of above sentence) shows agreement with positive sentence.
Here in 1 sentence i have no confusion.
...
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Various usages of needn't
Could anyone possibly simply tell me which of the following would be correct?
Tell her she needn't work tonight.
Tell her she doesn't need to work tonight.
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What could/can excite you the most right this very moment?
What could excite you the most right this very moment?
What can excite you the most right this very moment?
How the usage of "could" and "can" make the meaning of the sentence different?
How ...
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Expressing that there was no need to worry
Which is correct?
All the work was completed on time, so you need not to worry
All the work was completed on time, so you need not have worried
All the work was completed on time, so you did ...
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Auxiliary verbs in "afraid that" clause
I'd like to know what auxiliary verbs I can use in "I'm afraid that...".
For example,
I'm afraid that she will/may/might/would/should be mad at me if I
cancel the plan, so I won't cancel it.
...
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When to use "will" and when to use "is going to"? [closed]
Sometimes I will see my writing edited by someone, from "will" to "is going to", or vice versa.
Example:
Our sheep will give a baby this summer.
Our sheep is going to give a baby this summer.
What ...
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Why a reply should include "did"? [duplicate]
This is the dialogue which I heard in a TV show:
The father asks: I heard your mission failed, Ranmaru.
Ranmaru: Yes, it did fail.
Why doesn't he say yes, it failed?
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"Be obsessing over" vs. "be obsessed with/by"?
Lucille: Whoever's behind this whole thing has his connections right in the department. Any leads?
Marv: One guy I talked to told me it was Roark running the show.
Lucille: Whoever it is, he knew I ...
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Is Must really an Auxiliary Verb?
Can we use short answers as a proving method for modal verbs? The rule regarding the short answer to affirmative or negative statements is to repeat the auxiliary verb. eg:
"I can fly."
"So can I."
"...
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How does the auxiliary verb work in "What's the main thing a paramedic does have to do?"
What's the main thing a paramedic does have to do?
What's the main thing a paramedic has to do?
How can we use the auxiliary verbs after such sentences like that?
Ylis
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Only now "are" technological advances beginning to offer hope
Only now are technological advances beginning to offer hope that wind power will come to be accepted as a reliable and important source of electricity. Wind Power in the US
Why do we need the ...
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Using "Did" should it be followed by past or present tense verb? [duplicate]
Did you woke up this morning and looked at the mirror, and notice the eye bags are puffer than ever?
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How can I use do auxiliary verb in indirection question sentence?
Can we use do-auxillity verb in indirection question sentence.
For example, Is this right?
Why is the sky blue?-> Why the sky do blue? Or Why the water do exchange to air on 100 degree?
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She don't know that she's a lucky girl [duplicate]
Here's from an old song (1963) "She's A Fool" by Lesley Gore.
She don't know that she's a lucky girl
Here's another example, "Silence is Golden" (1964) by The Tremeloes
[YouTube link]
Oh, ...
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Do we need to use "are" three times in this sentence?
I said:
Nanobots are bots that created from nanomaterials and comparable in size to a molecule.
But the teacher told me:
Nanobots are bots that are created from nanomaterials and are comparable ...
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Is the auxiliary verb “do” required in WH-questions: "Which security flaws these protocols have?"
In the following question
Which security flaws does these protocols have?
Is the auxiliary verb "does" necessary? Would the sentence still be grammatically correct if I omitted it, in which case ...
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Tag question: Two hours should be enough time, ________?
The complete sentence is:
Two hours should be enough time for passengers to travel from Taipei to Kaohsiung by high speed rail, isn't it?
Is it grammatically correct to use "isn't it" in the above ...
sadcafe
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1
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Comma placement between two auxiliary verbs
In fact the course I did wasn’t even a pure photography one; it was one area of optional specialism within an overall Graphic Design degree course. A SUNDAY IN TEIGNMOUTH 1986
In this case, Is it ...
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Which is correct - 'Do you bought pizza last night' OR 'Did you buy pizza last night'?
Do you bought pizza last night OR Did you buy pizza last night?
When we can say "do you bought" instead of saying "did you buy"? or just a half an hour ago?
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Can I use 'does' at the end of a question?
So I was wondering if the correct phrase for asking a question is "what does it does/do?" Then it struck me that it feels odd to say "what does it does". Then I did some Googling and apparently the ...
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Which one of the following is correct?
Which one of the following is correct?
(1) I am cooking lunch.
(2) I have been cooking lunch.
Besides, if aforementioned are correct, I want to know the difference between I am cooking and I have ...
Gopal
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1
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"It does not get released" vs. "it does not release"
Please check both sentences and let me know what exactly difference is between both sentences.
It (a movie) does not get released
Or
It (a movie) does not release.
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Why there is 'were' not 'was in this sentence? [duplicate]
from
the BBC
Advanced learners often automatically invert the subject and auxiliary verb after a WH word clause, as if it were a question.
'It' is a third person singular pronoun, why does 'were' ...
user138449
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3
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If you asked him what his name was/is
Are these sentences interchangeable?
If you asked him what his name was, he wouldn’t tell you.
If you asked him what his name is, he wouldn’t tell you.
I think it is wrong to use “is” in this ...
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What is difference in using do, would in interrogative sentences?
Consider the following sentence.
Meera asked her mother-in-law, “__ you like something to drink before
dinner?”
The four options are would, do, will and did. The correct answer is would.
I am ...
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I might want you to
Is this No.1 a valid sentence to make a request politely?
I might want you to include these items in the agenda.
Or is just saying like this a lot better?
I would like you to include ...
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Equivalents to the present tense
Do this to avoid having to do the dishes.
Do this to not do the dishes.
I am not sure what tense the first sentence is, I feel it's in the simple present too, but I am not sure. Is there a ...
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Is "to be concerned with" always equal to "to be interested in"?
I've just checked the dictionary about the meaning of the idiom "concerned with" and I found it as a synonym of "interested in". Then I can use "concerned with" in any place of "interested in", or ...
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Is the sentence 'You can may get this money.' possible?
I learned that 'modal'verbs can be contained in one sentence only once.
But when I should express two auxiliary verbs in one sentence like 'You can may get this money.', How can we express the same ...
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'Is influenced' - Helping verb and main verb in different tenses
I have learnt that both helping and main verb should be in the same tenses.
For example: The design of ABC was influenced by DEF.
In the above sentence, since the main verb influenced is in past ...
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Usage of auxiliary verbs in "How ..." questions
I don't understand the usage of auxiliary verbs in questions that begin with How ("How ...?"), and always use structures such as:
How to learn play piano?
How long it take to deliver product?
Do ...
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"The cat cannot be seen easily.": Is "seen" the object or part of the verb?
I have problems to parse this sentence:
The cat cannot be seen easily.
I can't decide if "seen" is part of the verb and the sentence has no object or if it is the object. Or if it is a phrase (in ...
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You can not "get" angry while listening to "someone you disagree with".
You can not "be" angry while listening to "someone whom you are disagree with".
You can not "get" angry while listening to "someone you disagree with".
People "be" angry or "get" angry? And "...
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Why do we not use these helping verbs (do, did and does) in positive sentences?
I need to know why we do not use these helping verbs (do, did and does) in positive sentences. Let me give you some examples to explain it in a much better way.
He works (positive).
He does not work (...
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meaning of been? [closed]
What is the meaning of the word been?
Can you use been on it’s own without to have(has been, have been, had been, etc.)
Can you say that been is as same as was?
Why is it past participle, rather ...
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How does one use multi-part verbs?
In the question "Could the Space Shuttle have landed on any long runway other than those specially reinforced at Kennedy (TTS), and Edwards (EDW)?" The first part of the sentence has me scratching my ...
Everyone
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"I recently heard that"?
Do I need to treat the phrase "I recently heard that" as a reported speech?
"I recently heard that you went to Paris in 2000."
I'm not sure if this phrase can be completed by using simple past ...
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would have you believe
a. This man will have you believe that the moon doesn't exist.
b. This man would have you believe that the moon doesn't exist.
Which of the above mean
This man wants you to believe that the moon ...
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Making 4 types of question [closed]
What the right way to make 4 types of question with "has" in the sentence?
My take on this, though it's really wrong I'm pretty sure:
She has to get up early.
Has she to get up early?
Has she to ...
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".. + had + had + past-participle + .."
I know the cases like I had had a headache yesterday. where had had is grammatically correct.
Is ".. + had + had + past-participle + .." grammatically correct the way used in the following sentences, ...
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Why 'should' is used in "Most unfortunate that it should happen on Christmas day"?
"Most unfortunate that it should happen on Christmas day."
I'm wondering why 'should' is used in the sentence. Any difference from: Most unfortunate that it happened/happens on Christmas day.?
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Do questions with "which" need auxiliary verbs to make a question?
Which is correct:
Which websites do report unbiased news about Iran?
or
Which websites report unbiased news about Iran?
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What is the difference between the two sentence using auxiliary verb of different place?
There are two sentences.
You can possibly do this.
You possibly can do this.
I have heard that there are some differences in the two sentences using the auxiliary verb of the different place.
What ...
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Usage of 'do' and 'does'
I have heard the phrase:
Do such easy questions really come?
What if I am pointing to a single question and asking:
Does such an easy question really come?
I feel that the second sentence is ...
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Difference "he didn't be a doctor" and "he wasn't a doctor"?
What the difference between "he didn't be a doctor" and "he wasn't a doctor"?
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"Will" and "Going to", in negative sentences. Interpretation of future plans
I hope you can help me clarifying.
I've watched this video that explains the difference between "Will" and "Going to" (with referring to future plans specifically). With reference to such video the ...
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Present Perfect - one auxiliary verb with two subjects
I'm trying to get rid of some gaps in my knowledge of Pre-Int. grammar, so I'm working with a PET course book. And I've discovered some confusing things in some quite easy tasks...
1) The task is to ...
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"Will you close the door" vs "Could you close the door"
I enter in a small bookstore, the owner tells me:
"Will you close the door please?!"
I enter in a small bookstore, I ask the owner:
"Shall I close the door?"
The two phrases above in brackets ...
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Is it okay if "had" only agrees with the second item (and not the first)?
Okay, this is a little hard to explain. So here's an example:
My cousin became a Catholic. My relatives were shocked, since neither they or their ancestors had belonged to that religion.
As you can ...
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