1

Name
Matrix Number
Group
Course code
Course title
Semester
Task number
Title

Che Roziela Binti Ahmad Rapidi

D20112053852
UPSI02 (A131PJJ)
BIL3013
English Grammar
4 2013/2014
1 (Self Improvement)

Auxiliary Verbs

Lecturer: Dr. Napisah Kepol

Due Date: 13 Oct 2013

1.

Study the auxiliary verbs that are included in the module. Identify two auxiliary
verbs that you think you have a problem with.
English has three primary Auxiliary verbs. Auxiliary verbs can be classified into two

types of auxiliaries: the primary auxiliary verbs (be, do and have) and the modal auxiliaries (can,
could, may, might, must, shall, should, will, would, have to, and ought to). All three take part in
the formation of various grammatical constructions, but carry very little meaning themselves.
They are auxiliaries in the true sense of being 'helpers' in conveying verbal meaning. In addition,
an auxiliary verb is a verb used to add functional or grammatical meaning to the clause in which
it appears.

For example, to express tense, aspect, modality, voice, emphasis, etc. Auxiliary verbs
usually accompany a main verb, the main verb providing the main semantic content of the clause
in which it appears. Some sentences contain a chain of two or more auxiliary verbs. Auxiliary
verbs are also called helping verbs, helper verbs, or (verbal) auxiliaries. They may be glossed
with the abbreviation AUX. These auxiliary verbs are distinguished from other verbs by two
characteristics:-

1. Support role:
They are each followed by a non-finite verb (raining, been, overcharged) which they
'support' in various ways. The term 'auxiliary verb' refers to this support role. (Think of
'auxiliary teacher', a support teacher.)

2. Inversion etc.:
They are syntactically special in a number of ways that are quite separate from the
support role; for example, English auxiliary verbs are unlike other verbs in allowing
subject inversion:

However, as an ESL learner, I found auxiliary verbs rather difficult to grasp. As

Reppenetal (2002) pointed out that the modal auxiliaries are few, but they have similar meanings
and functions. Linguists like Thompson (2002) also agree that the meanings of modal verbs can
be confusing to ESL learners.

Specifically, I have problem with the modal verbs would and should. This is because
each of them has many functions and their meaning is depicted. Sometimes, I am just not aware
of their subtle shades of meanings that are found within the meaning. For example, I should
have done the assignment yesterday. I doubt that should is redundant due to my limited
knowledge of the modal verb should. Based on Hewings.Ms (1999) work (Advance grammar
in use) and Alexander .Ls (1998) book (Longman English Grammar for intermediate students) I
came to summarize the basic meanings and main usage of would and should as table 1 and table
2 below.
Table 1: the use of modal auxiliary should
Modal auxiliaries
She should be at school by now.
I should study hard.
You should have paid them a visit.

1.1

uses

examples

Prediction

should

Advice

should

deduction

should

Prediction
Should is used as the past equivalence of shall. We use should to predict something that

going to happen. For example, he should be in Kuala Lumpur by lunch time. Based on the time
he left and the distance of the journey, we predict that he can arrive KL by lunch time.

1.2

Advice
Should is commonly used to give advice. When should is used, we are trying to persuade

people on what to do or not to do.

For examples,
(1) You should obey the rules and regulations.
(2) I shouldnt walk too fast.

We can also use ought to, had better and must to give advice. However they
illustrate different level of choices for the listener.
For example,
(1) He should see a doctor. (This is an advice, but ignore it if he wants to)
(2) He ought to see a doctor. (Stronger advice, but he can still ignore if he wants)
(3) Hed better see a doctor. (Urgent advice, there may be consequences if he ignores it)
(4) You must see a doctor. (The strongest advice. Dont ignore it.)

On the other hand, adding not to should when giving advice carries the meaning of
forbidden. For instance,
(a) You shouldnt drink and drive. (Because you wont be allowed to drive after consuming

alcohol. )
(b) You shouldnt drive too fast. (=it is dangerous to do that )
(c) You shouldnt stop on the motorway (= its against the law.)

Therefore, we got to choose correct modal auxiliary when we give advice depending on
the situation.
1.3

Deductions
The structure of should have or shouldnt have with past participle of the main verb

is used to criticize our own actions (or someone else) which is supposed to be done or not to be
done.

For example,
(a) I should have done the work yesterday. (regret that I did not do the work)
(b) She shouldnt have told my parents about it. (she has already told her parents, thus I

criticize her)
Table 2 below shows the different uses of modal auxiliary would.
Examples

Uses

Modal auxiliaries

She would be right.

Certainty (fairly certain)

would

Would you like some coffee?

Offering things & substances

would

Would you like to join us?

Making suggestion (inviting action)

would

Would you please pass the water to me?

Polite request

would

When I was a girl, I would get up at 6 and

Replace used to to talk about the usual

would

wash my face.

habit in the past

Would is used as the past equivalent of will. We use would in various way depending on
situation to carry different meanings.

2.1

Certainty
In English, we use modal auxiliaries to express degrees of certainty or uncertainty. There

are nine of the modals could be used for this purposes and would is one of them. Would refer
to fairly certainty. When we are certain about the things that we want to express, we use be verb
or action verb. For example,
1. She might be right. She might know the answer. (very uncertain)
2. She could be right. She would know the answer. (fairly certain)
3. She must be right. She must know the answer. (almost certain)
4. She cant be right. She cant know the answer. (almost certain)
5. She is right. She knows the answer. (certain)

2.2

Offering thing & substances

We can use would you like when we make an offer. For example,

a.

Would you like me to get you some juice?

b.

Would you like some tea?

Usually, the responses to this kind of offer are

c.

Yes, Id like to or

d.

No, thanks. Id prefer some coffee.

2.3

Making suggestions (inviting actions)

We can use would/ wouldnt you like to to make suggestion as a polite way of inviting

others to do something. For example,

a.

Would you like to come with me? (Suggestion. You may reject if you want)

b.

Would you like to play tennis with me tomorrow?

2.4

Polite request
If you want to request others to do things for you, you can use will or would to make

the request. For example, would you please pass the phone to Encik Kamarul? We can response
in this way: Yes, of course. Or: No, I am afraid I cant at the moment.

2.5

Describe usual behavior in the past

We sometimes use would to replace used to when we are remembering the past.

First we set the scene with used to, then we continue with would to describe the usual habits in
the past. For example,
When I was still young I used to spend my holidays on a farm. I would get up at 5 and
helped to milk the cows. Then, Id head to the kitchen for breakfast.

In conclusion, as presented above, each modal auxiliary has so many meanings and
functions. They should not be taught as a list like regular vocabulary. It is recommended to
present auxiliary verbs using dialogues showing the different context that are relevant to the
modal auxiliaries. I realize that I must do the revision and read a lot of books that contain about
grammar especially auxiliary verb just to make sure I use the right term in daily life.

REFERENCES
1.

Allerton, D. 2006. Verbs and their Satellites. In Handbook of English Linguistics.

Aarts 7 MacMahon (eds.). Blackwell.

2.

Adger, D. 2003. Core syntax. Oxford, UK: Oxford University Press.

3.

Bresnan, J. 2001. Lexical-Functional Syntax. Malden, MA: Blackwell Publishers.

4.

Culicover, P. 2009. Natural language syntax. Oxford, UK: Oxford University Press.

5.

Crystal, D. 1997. A dictionary of linguistics and phonetics, 4th edition.

Oxford, UK: Blackwell Publishers.

6.

Internet - http://grammar.ccc.commnet.edu/grammar/auxiliary.htm