
Auxiliary verbs: вспомогательные глаголы
Вспомогательный глагол — это глагол, который добавляет функциональное или грамматическое значение предложению, в котором он встречается, выражая время, вид, модальность, залог, ударение и т. п. Вспомогательные глаголы обычно сопровождают инфинитив глагол или причастие, которые несут основное смысловое содержание предложения
A. There are two verbs in each of these sentences:
I | have | lost | my keys. |
She | can’t | come | to the party. |
The hotel | was | built | ten years ago |
Where | do you | live? |
In these examples have/can’t/was/do are auxiliary (= helping) verbs.
You can use an auxiliary verb (without the rest of the sentence) when you don’t want to repeat something:
- ‘Have you locked the door?’ ‘Yes, I have.’ (= I have locked the door)
- George wasn’t working but Janet was. (= Janet was working)
- She could lend me the money but she won’t. (= she won’t lend me the money)
- ‘Are you angry with me?’ ‘Of course I’m not.’ (= I’m not angry)
Use do/does/did for the present and past simple:
- ‘Do you like onions?’ ‘Yes, I do.’ (= I like onions)
- ‘Does Mark smoke?’ ‘He did but he doesn’t any more.’
B. We use have you? / isn’t she? / do they? etc. to show polite interest in what somebody has said:
- ‘I’ve just met Simon.’ ‘Oh, have you? How is he?’
- ‘Liz isn’t very well today.’ ‘Oh, isn’t she? What’s wrong with her?’
- ‘It rained every day during our holiday.’ ‘Did it? What a pity!’
Sometimes we use these ‘short questions’ to show surprise:
- ‘Jim and Nora are getting married.’ ‘Are they? Really?’
C. We use auxiliary verbs with so and neither:
- ‘I’m feeling tired.’ ‘So am I.’ (= I’m feeling tired too)
- ‘I never read newspapers.’ ‘Neither do I.’ (=1 never read newspapers either)
- Sue hasn’t got a car and neither has Martin.
Note the word order after so and neither (verb before subject):
- I passed the exam and so did Tom. (not ‘so Tom did’)
You can use nor instead of neither:
- ‘I can’t remember his name.’ ‘Nor can I.’ or ‘Neither can I.’
You can also use ‘…not…either’:
- ‘I haven’t got any money.’ ‘Neither have I.’ or ‘Nor have I.’ or ‘I haven’t either.’
D. I think so/I hope so etc.
After some verbs you can use so when you don’t want to repeat something:
- ‘Are those people English?’ T think so.’ (= I think they are English)
- ‘Will you be at home tomorrow morning?’ ‘I expect so.’ (= I expect I’ll be at home…)
- ‘Do you think Kate has been invited to the party?’ ‘I suppose so.’
You can also say I hope so, I guess so and I’m afraid so.
The usual negative forms are:
I think so/I expect so
|
—> | I don’t think so / I don’t expect so
|
I hope so / I’m afraid so/I guess so
|
—> | I hope not / I’m afraid not /I guess not
|
I suppose so
|
—> | I don’t suppose so or I suppose not
|
- ‘Is that woman American?’ ‘I think so. /I don’t think so.’
- ‘Do you think it’s going to rain?’ ‘I hope so. / I hope not.’ (not ‘I don’t hope so’)
EXERCISES
1 Complete the sentences with an auxiliary verb (do/was/could/should etc.). Sometimes the verb must be negative (don’t/wasn’t etc.).
- I wasn’t tired but my friends ..were.
- I like hot weather but Ann ……………………………
- ‘Is Colin here?’ ‘He ………………………….. five minutes ago but I think he’s gone home now.’
- She might phone later this evening but I don’t think she ……………………………
- ‘Are you and Chris coming to the party?’ ‘I…………………………. but Chris ……………………………’
- I don’t know whether to apply for the job or not. Do you think I…………………………?
- ‘Please don’t tell anybody what I said.’ ‘Don’t worry. I……………………………’
- ‘You never listen to me.’ ‘Yes, I…………………………..!’
- ‘Can you play a musical instrument?’ ‘No, but I wish I……………………………’
- ‘Please help me.’ ‘I’m sorry. I………………………. if I………………………. but I…………………………..
2 You never agree with Sue. Answer in the way shown.
- I’m hungry. Are you? I’m not
- I’m not tired. … Aren’t you? I am.
- I like football. …………………………………………………
- I didn’t enjoy the film. …………………………………………………
- I’ve never been to South America. …………………………………………………
- I thought the exam was quite easy. …………………………………………………
3 You are talking to Tina. Write true sentences about yourself. Reply with So… or Neither… if
suitable. Study the two examples carefully.
- I feel really tired. So do I
- I’m working hard. Are you? I’m not..
- I watched television last week. …………………………………………………
- I won’t be in London next week. …………………………………………………
- I live in a small town. …………………………………………………
- I’d like to go to the moon. …………………………………………………
- I can’t play the trumpet. …………………………………………………
4 In these conversations, you are B. Read the information in brackets and then answer with I think so, I hope not etc.
- (You don’t like rain.) A: Is it going to rain? B: (hope) …I hope not.
- You need more money quickly. A: Do you think you’ll get a pay rise soon? B: (hope)……………………..
- (You think Diane will probably get the job that she applied for.) A: I wonder if Diane will get the job. B: (expect) ……………………………………………………………….
- (You’re not sure whether Jill is married — probably not.) A: Is Jill married? B: (think) …………………:……………………………………………………………………………….
- (You are the receptionist at a hotel. The hotel is full.) A: Have you got a room for tonight? B: (afraid) …………………………………………………………….
- (You’re at a party. You have to leave early.) A: Do you have to leave already? B: (afraid)……………………………………………………………………….
- (Ann normally works every day, Monday to Friday. Tomorrow is Wednesday.) A: Is Ann working tomorrow? B: (suppose) …………………………………………………………………………
- (You are going to a party. You can’t stand John.) A: Do you think John will be at the party? B: (hope)………………………………………………………….
- (You’re not sure what time the concert is — probably 7.30.) A: Is the concert at 7.30? B: (think) ………………………………………………………………………………………