In English, there are three main auxiliary verbs: be, have, and do. Like in other languages, these verbs can also function as regular verbs.
They are often used to conjugate another verb, form compound tenses, or construct affirmative, negative, or interrogative sentences.
English auxiliary verbs: Be, Have, and Do
The auxiliary verbs be, have, and doeach have specific uses:
The auxiliary haveis used to form simple perfect tenses.
The auxiliary beis used to form continuous (progressive) tenses.
The auxiliary do is used to form questions and negatives.
To form a compound tense: Auxiliary HAVE
Tense
Example
Explanation
Audio
present perfect
He has cleaned his room.
Describes an action that happened in the past but has relevance to the present.
past perfect
He had broken his leg last year.
Refers to an action completed before another action in the past.
To form a continuous tense: Auxiliary BE
Tense
Example
Explanation
Audio
present continuous
I’m doing my homework.
Describes an action happening right now.
past continuous
They were standing on the wall.
Describes an action that was ongoing at a specific moment in the past.
To ask a question: Auxiliary DO
Example
Explanation
Audio
Do you want a cup of coffee?
Used to ask a question in the present tense.
Did they want to stay?
Used to ask a question in the past tense.
To form a negative: DO + NOT
The auxiliary verb dois used with notto form negative sentences.
Example
Explanation
Audio
He doesn’t want to talk to me.
Doesn’t is the contracted form of does + not. Used to express a negative action in the present tense.
The Auxiliary BE
To use beeffectively, you must know its conjugation.
Pronoun
Present simple
Negative form
Past simple
Negative form
I
am
am not
was
wasn’t
you
are
aren’t
were
weren’t
he
is
isn’t
was
wasn’t
she
is
isn’t
was
wasn’t
it
is
isn’t
was
wasn’t
we
are
aren’t
were
weren’t
you
are
aren’t
were
weren’t
they
are
aren’t
were
weren’t
The auxiliary be in the present simple and past simple is used to form the present and past continuous tenses.
Present Continuous
The present continuous tense has several uses:
To talk about actions happening at the moment:
Example
Explanation
Audio
She is drinking a hot chocolate.
Describes an action currently in progress.
To describe a current trend:
Example
Explanation
Audio
People are spending too much money on holidays.
Refers to an ongoing situation or behavior happening during a specific period.
To talk about a near future event:
Example
Explanation
Audio
We’re leaving tomorrow.
Indicates a planned event that will happen in the near future.
Past Continuous
The past continuous tense is formed with the auxiliary verb be in the past tense (was/were) + the main verb ending in -ing: They were travelling.
Uses of the Past Continuous:
To describe an action in progress in the past that was interrupted:
Example
Explanation
Audio
I was sleeping when someone knocked at the door.
Describes an ongoing action (sleeping) interrupted by another past event (knocked).
To describe a change of mind:
Example
Explanation
Audio
I was starting to read a book but I finally went out.
Shows an action (starting to read) that was abandoned in favor of another decision (went out).
The auxiliary be is also used to form the present perfect continuous and past perfect continuous tenses.
BE in the form of HAVE BEEN
The structures for the present perfect continuous and past perfect continuous are: HAVE (in the present or past tense) + BEEN + verb ending in -ING.
Example
Explanation
Audio
He has been working
Example of the present perfect continuous tense.
They had been washing
Example of the past perfect continuous tense.
Uses of the Present Perfect Continuous
To talk about something that started in the past and continues into the present:
Example
Explanation
Audio
I have been living here for 2 years.
Describes an action that began in the past and is still ongoing. Often translated using the present tense in other languages.
To emphasize the duration of an ongoing action:
Example
Explanation
Audio
I‘ve been watching TV for 3 hours!
Highlights the time spent on an activity up to the present moment.
Uses of the Past Perfect Continuous
To describe an event that occurred before another past event:
Example
Explanation
Audio
He had been playing football and then he had broken his arm.
Shows the sequence of two past events, emphasizing the earlier one.
To link cause and effect between two actions:
Example
Explanation
Audio
He was very tired because he had not been sleeping a lot the night before.
Emphasizes the duration of the earlier action as the cause of the later condition.
Like the present perfect continuous, the past perfect continuous often emphasizes the duration of the action.
When BE is not an auxiliary
BE can also function as a regular verb meaning to be. It is used for descriptions or talking about oneself.
Example: I am a teacher.
The auxiliary verb HAVE in English
Conjugating the verb haveis straightforward!
You only need to know three forms: has, have, and had(past tense).
Pronoun
Present
Negative (Present)
Past
Negative (Past)
I
have
haven’t
had
hadn’t
you
have
haven’t
had
hadn’t
he
has
hasn’t
had
hadn’t
she
has
hasn’t
had
hadn’t
it
has
hasn’t
had
hadn’t
we
have
haven’t
had
hadn’t
you
have
haven’t
had
hadn’t
they
have
haven’t
had
hadn’t
The auxiliary verb HAVE is used to form the perfect tenses.
With present perfect: HAVE conjugated + past participle
Example
Explanation
Audio
He has lost his keys and he can’t open the door.
Describes a past action with a present consequence (keys lost; door can’t open).
With past perfect: HAVE in the past (had) + past participle
Example
Explanation
Audio
She said that she had cooked a cake.
Refers to an action completed before another past event (she cooked before speaking).
Note: It’s important to be familiar with irregular verbs for proper usage in these tenses.
When HAVE is not an auxiliary
Like be and do, have can also act as a main verb with several meanings:
To have / to possess
Example
Explanation
Audio
I have a cat.
Indicates ownership.
He has a sister
Describes familial relationship.
With HAVE GOT (Common in British English to show possession):
Example
Explanation
Audio
I have got a car.
Another way to express possession.
He has got a sister.
Common phrasing for relationships or belongings.
Have to do something: I have to finish my homework.
Have + an activity:
Example
Explanation
Audio
He’s having a shower.
Describes an activity currently taking place.
I had my breakfast.
Indicates an activity completed in the past.
The Auxiliary DO in English
DO is very simple to conjugate, with only three forms: DO, DOES, and DID (past tense).
Pronoun
Present
Present negative form
Past
Past negative form
I
do
don’t
did
didn’t
you
do
don’t
did
didn’t
he
does
doesn’t
did
didn’t
she
does
doesn’t
did
didn’t
it
does
doesn’t
did
didn’t
we
do
don’t
did
didn’t
you
do
don’t
did
didn’t
they
do
don’t
did
didn’t
The three main uses of DO as an auxiliary
The English auxiliary DO has 3 uses: to ask a question, to express negation, and for certain affirmations.
To ask questions
DOis used to form closed (yes/no) questions. In answers, DO or DON’T is often repeated, which does not happen in many other languages.
Example
Explanation
Audio
Do you like French food? Yes, I do.
Forms a question in the present and emphasizes the response.
Does she agree? Yes, she does.
Shows agreement in the response using does.
To express negation
DO or DID (past tense) is used to create negative sentences in both the present simple and past simple tenses. In these cases, do is conjugated, and the main verb remains in its base form.
Example
Negative expression
Explanation
Audio
I like tea.
I don’t like tea.
Negative statement using don’t (do + not).
He knows him.
She doesn’t know him.
Negative statement using doesn’t (does + not).
To emphasize an affirmation
DO can be used in the present or past tense to add emphasis or insistence to an affirmative statement.
Example
Explanation
Audio
I do wish I could go!
Emphasizes the speaker’s strong desire.
Do help yourself!
Polite emphasis encouraging someone to act.
When DO is not an auxiliary
When do is used alone, it means to do or to perform an action.
Example
Explanation
Audio
I do a lot of cycling.
Indicates an activity regularly performed.
he did it by herself.
Refers to completing an action in the past.
Important Note on Doand Make
In English, the verb DO can be translated as do or make, depending on the context.
Dois often used for activities and tasks (I do my homework).
Make is generally used for creating or producing something (I made a cake).
