Грамматика

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.).

 

  1. I wasn’t tired but my friends ..were.
  2. I like hot weather but Ann ……………………………
  3. ‘Is Colin here?’  ‘He ………………………….. five minutes ago but I think he’s gone home now.’
  4. She might phone later this evening but I don’t think she ……………………………
  5. ‘Are you and Chris coming to the party?’   ‘I…………………………. but Chris ……………………………’
  6. I don’t know whether to apply for the job or not. Do you think I…………………………?
  7. ‘Please don’t tell anybody what I said.’   ‘Don’t worry.   I……………………………’
  8. ‘You never listen to me.’   ‘Yes, I…………………………..!’
  9. ‘Can you play a musical instrument?’  ‘No, but I wish I……………………………’
  10. ‘Please help me.’    ‘I’m sorry. I………………………. if I………………………. but I…………………………..

 

2 You never agree with Sue. Answer in the way shown.

 

  1. I’m hungry.                     Are you? I’m not
  2. I’m not tired.       …         Aren’t you? I am.
  3. I like football.                        …………………………………………………
  4. I didn’t enjoy the film.                    …………………………………………………
  5. I’ve never been to South America.        …………………………………………………
  6. 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.

 

  1. I feel really tired.                 So do I
  2. I’m working hard.                Are you? I’m not..
  3. I watched television last week.               …………………………………………………
  4. I won’t be in London next week.         …………………………………………………
  5. I live in a small town.                    …………………………………………………
  6. I’d like to go to the moon.            …………………………………………………
  7. 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.

 

  1. (You don’t like rain.)  A: Is it going to rain?  B: (hope) …I hope not.
  2. You need more money quickly. A: Do you think you’ll get a pay rise soon?    B: (hope)……………………..
  3. (You think Diane will probably get the job that she applied for.) A: I wonder if Diane will get the job.    B: (expect) ……………………………………………………………….
  4. (You’re not sure whether Jill is married — probably not.) A: Is Jill married?    B: (think) …………………:……………………………………………………………………………….
  5. (You are the receptionist at a hotel. The hotel is full.) A: Have you got a room for tonight?   B: (afraid) …………………………………………………………….
  6. (You’re at a party. You have to leave early.) A: Do you have to leave already?    B: (afraid)……………………………………………………………………….
  7. (Ann normally works every day, Monday to Friday. Tomorrow is Wednesday.) A: Is Ann working tomorrow?   B: (suppose) …………………………………………………………………………
  8. (You are going to a party. You can’t stand John.) A: Do you think John will be at the party?    B: (hope)………………………………………………………….
  9. (You’re not sure what time the concert is — probably 7.30.) A: Is the concert at 7.30?    B: (think) ………………………………………………………………………………………