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Auxiliary verbs will shall would should

Auxiliary verbs are may might


used with main verbs
to construct the verb can could
phrase. They fall into
must
two groups:
ought
Primary (to)
auxiliaries
Modal There is a big difference between the meanings of the two sets of auxiliaries. The
auxiliaries illustrates this:

Primary auxiliaries It must work dependably.


The primary
auxiliaries are: be, If you change this to It does work dependably, you are saying something very d
have, and do. They the contrast between the two types of auxiliary to make a point, as in this exam
are used in clauses
such as: Britain's labour market may be working better but it is still not working well.

I am eating bread. To sum up: modal auxiliaries create a range of possible situations from may thro
They have eaten primary auxiliaries deal in actual situations.
bread.
You do eat bread.

Primary auxiliaries
can also work as
main verbs. For
example:

I am happy to see
these names
included.
I have a new life
now and new friends.
We do things that
are controversial.

Modal auxiliaries

These are used in


clauses such as:

I shall eat bread.


I might eat bread.
I could eat bread.

Modal auxiliaries
cannot work as main
verbs and normally
appear with a main
verb. The full list is:

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