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’)

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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) ………………………………………………………………………………………