English auxiliary verbs exhibit four properties. They are:

1. Auxiliaries alone can be negated by adding not.

To make negative statements

In modern English, the simple addition of not is not enough to form negative statements.

Study the following sentences.

Fill in the blanks with appropriate auxiliary verbs. Each question has only one correct answer. Choose the most appropriate one.

1. He ………………. writing a novel. (is / am / has)

Rewrite each of the following sentences using a modal auxiliary verb.

1. Possibly she isn’t John’s sister.

2. Perhaps we will visit them next week.

Dare is used in two ways – as an ordinary verb and as an auxiliary verb.

As an ordinary verb

Fill in the blanks using the correct alternative.

1.  I don’t think I ——————- be able to go.

a) will

b) should

c) can

Both can and could are modal auxiliary verbs. Can is used to talk about present or general ability. Could is used to talk about ability that existed in the past.