Uses of Auxiliary verbs for IELTS

Jan 7, 2022

Auxiliary Verbs can be used with a main verb to help form a tense, negative or question. The most common auxiliary verbs or helping verbs are have, do, be, can, could, will, would, shall, should, may, might, must, and ought to. Here have, do, and be are used as action verbs and the remaining ones as modal verbs.

Auxiliary verbs or helping verbs are used in IELTS different ways as follows:

Auxiliary verbs are used to express tense (past tense, present tense, and future tense)
Auxiliary verbs are used in the grammatical sense of how a verb relates to the flow of time.
Auxiliary verbs are used as a modality that is how it quantifies verbs.
Auxiliary verb adds emphasis to a sentence.
Auxiliary verbs help the main verb.

Check: Get 10 Free IELTS Sample Papers

Check: Register for IELTS Coaching - Join for Free Trial Class Now

Action Auxiliary Verbs (have, do, be)

Uses of the ‘have’ include ‘ownership and possession.’ It has three forms – has, have, and had.

Uses	No.	Example sentences
Ownership or possession	1	I have an issue with my neighbour.
	2	She has a very beautiful cat at home.
	3	They have bicycles to reach distant locations in the city.
	4	He has many brothers and sisters in the family.
	5	I have the assignment to finish soon.

Uses of the ‘do’ include ‘pairing with the main verb, as an action verb and to show emphasis’ It has three forms – ‘do’, ‘does’, and ‘did’.

Uses	No.	Example sentences
pairing with the main verb and to show emphasis	1	I do not come today.
	2	They do not attend regularly.
	3	She does the work very perfectly.
	4	I do ask for your permission.
	5	She did drop the letter, cautiously!

Check: Get 10 Free IELTS Sample Papers

Check: Register for IELTS Coaching - Join for Free Trial Class Now

Uses of the ‘be’ include ‘pairing with the main verb as an action verb’ It has three forms – be, been, am, is, was, are, and were.

Uses	No.	Example sentences
pairing with the main verb	1	I will be your guest tomorrow.
	2	She has been visiting this place for a decade.
	3	I am a student in this college.
	4	She is one of my best friends.
	5	He was a police officer at that time.
	6	They are crossing the river at this moment.
	7	There are a lot of bandits all along that ghat road.

Modal Auxiliary Verbs (can, could, will, would, shall, should, may, might, must, and ought to):

Uses of the can and could include ‘someone is capable of doing something,’ ‘someone is permitted to do something,’ and for information, help, offer and suggestion.

Uses	No.	Example sentences
Someone is capable of doing something	1	I can design dresses as per your liking.
	2	She can work faster than any of us.
	3	Could you please wait for me?
	4	They could not prepare food today.
	5	Could I drop a letter to you?
someone is permitted to do something	1	You can attend classes whenever you will be fine.
	2	No one can tress pass here,
	3	We cannot leave the hall without their permission.
	4	Children cannot watch YouTube in their parents’ absence.
	5	You can approach me whenever you get a doubt.
for information, help, offer and suggestion.	1	Could you please tell me, where is the post office?
	2	I can show you my home if you are free now.
	3	I cannot inform you about my secret place.
	4	Could I present a great gift to her?
	5	You can lend me a pencil if you have two.
	6	Where can keep your books later?

Check: Get 10 Free IELTS Sample Papers

Check: Register for IELTS Coaching - Join for Free Trial Class Now

Uses of will and would

Uses of the will and would include ‘ask someone to do something and ‘to offer or suggest something’

Uses	No.	Example sentences
Someone is capable of doing something	1	He will score a century in this innings.
	2	Will she propose new plants today?
	3	Would you please, let me know the facts?
	4	Please, will you help me with this project?
	5	All will not attend interviews due to some scam.
to offer or suggest something	1	Will I make notes for you?
	2	Will you process this information for us?
	3	Would you prefer coffee to tea?
	4	Which book you would like to read?
	5	They will call us for tomorrow’s meeting.

Uses of shall and should

Uses of the shall and should include ‘ask for advice, suggestion, and offer’

Uses	No.	Example sentences
ask for advice, suggestion, and offer	1	Shall I help you carry your luggage?
	2	I shall better wake you early in the morning, every day.
	3	Should I switch off the motor pump as the tank get filled?
	4	Should I call for an ambulance?
	5	Should I enlarge this view for your sake?

Check: Get 10 Free IELTS Sample Papers

Check: Register for IELTS Coaching - Join for Free Trial Class Now

Uses of may and might

Uses of the may and might include ‘permit someone to do something and ‘to show possibility’

Uses	No.	Example sentences
permit someone to do something	1	I may not sell all my goods today itself.
	2	You may better go around the market first.
	3	You may catch this bus now itself.
	4	“May I come in, please?” “Yes, you may.”
	5	May I invite all of my friends to the party?
to show possibility	1	It may rain today.
	2	They might not meet the boss due to the bad weather.
	3	This season, you may get good crops.
	4	There might be a big pit, so the vehicle is turtled down.
	5	It may not be possible to answer all of your questions.

Uses of must

Uses of the must include ‘things that have to be done’

Uses	No.	Example sentences
things that have to be done	1	You must finish this job by today evening.
	2	They must control pests, or else they get losses.
	3	I must write exams this semester.
	4	Children must not firecrackers in absence of elders.
	5	Ladies must be careful in strange places.

Uses of ought to

Uses of the ought to include ‘strong suggestions and duties’

Uses	No.	Example sentences
strong suggestions and duties	1	You ought to obey your parents.
	2	I ought to take medicines regularly to keep my health.
	3	Players ought to do exercise to keep themselves physically fit.
	4	They ought to keep the swimming pool clean as many children come there.
	5	We ought to maintain hygiene to keep ourselves healthy and agile.