Auxilary Verbs And Modal Forms And Functions

THEME 20. AUXILIARY VERBS AND MODALS: FORMS AND FUNCTIONS. • Introduction. Verbs may be defined as important parts of the speech, even if they are not overtly present in our messages their meaning remains latent. So, for instance Eckersley observes that the verb is the most important part of the speech in the great majority of the sentences. We can consider a verb according to the traditionaldefinitions as: A word that expresses something about a person, an animal or thing. A part of the speech by which we are able to say what a person, animal or thing is or does, or what is done to that person, animal or thing. The part of the speech that assists in predication asks a question or expresses a command. • Verb classification. According to Quirk verbs can be classified in the two majortypes: Auxiliary verbs and lexical verbs. • Auxiliary verbs. Auxiliaries may be defined as their name indicates as helping verbs since they have no independent existence as verb phrases but only help to make up verb phrases. They must compulsorily be followed by a lexical verb and are structurally necessary for certain constructions, especially negatives and questions. • Primary auxiliaries. They havea purely grammatical function and are inflectionally marked in the 3rd person singular. This group is made up by three: BE, HAVE, DO. • DO. It is the most neutral of all the auxiliaries. It has no individual meaning but serves as an operator for the formation of the interrogative and the negative of the present simple and past simple tenses and also for emphasis or to convey a coherent style.There is also a lexical verb do (= perform) which has the full range of forms including the present participle doing and the past participle done. Do as an auxiliary verb is required in the following cases: • To form negative sentences when the verb is imperative, simple present or simple past. • In questions involving inversion where the verb is in the simple present or past tense. There is nodo−periphrasis in positive wh−questions beginning with the subject ( What happened?) And in yes−no questions where inversion is not necessary. ( He said that?) • In emphatic expressions where the verb is simple present, simple past or imperative.

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Do sit down! He did say he would be here at six. You do look nice today! • In sentences with inversion caused by certain introductory words such as thenegative adverbs never, hardly, etc, when the verb is in the simple present or past tense. Never did he think that the book would be finished. • To avoid repetition of a previous ordinary verb ( pro−form) • Comparisons: He sings better than you do. • Tag questions: You went to the doctor's, didn't you? • In short answers: Do you smoke? Yes, I do. Do as a lexical verb is used in: • How do you do?,is said by both parties after the introduction • Meaning be adequate in expressions such as: I haven't got a torch. Will a candle do? • Meaning it is not your business, it's not your concern in: It is nothing to do with you. • Meaning perform: in this case it constitutes a challenge for the Spanish student because it is difficult to distinguish between make and do. − talk about work: I must dothe accounts.. − When we won't say exactly what the activity is. What shall we do now! Do something! We use do to − To talk about longer and repeated activities − Before determiner + −ing form. Can you do the shopping. • Have. As a primary auxiliary it is used for: • The formation of the perfective aspect by combining with past participles. • The formation of the causative ( have + object + P.P.): Ihad my car washed. It can also be used instead of a passive verb to convey the idea of accident or misfortune: He had two of his teeth knocked out in the match (Here the subject is the person who suffers the result of the action; in the previous example the subject was the person who orders something to be done. • It is used as an auxiliary for the expression of duties, obligation: have to....