mother and son

A: Have you done your homework yet?

B: Well, I haven't finished it, but I'm doing it now.

Three Kinds of Verbs

1. Auxiliary Verbs: Be, Do, Have

These are used to change tenses or to make questions and negative sentences. Many teachers and students call auxiliary verbs “helping verbs” because they help the main verb of a sentence.

I don't like traveling to cold countries.

He has already seen the movie.

Are they leaving now?

2. Modal Auxiliary Verbs: Can, Will, May, Should, etc.

These are similar to the auxiliary verbs be, do, and have because they help a main verb in a sentence. They are different because they each have a special meaning.

In the following examples, may means maybe, can't means impossible or unable, and should is asking for advice:

It may rain tonight.

We can't get to the airport in five minutes.

Should I pay a tip for that in Italy?

3. Full Verbs: Go, Play, Sing, etc.


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Exercise

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