Auxiliary verb

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Also known as "modal verbs", these are the verbs that take verbs as objects, not nouns. They modify verbs and give them some more meaning. In English, these are things like "should", "will" and "can", which all change something about the situation. Auxiliary verbs express capability, possibility, necessity, obligation or willingness.

Characteristics

In sentences with auxiliary verbs, the auxiliary verb is the one that gets modified. That is, if you want to negate a sentence with an auxiliary verb, put "不" before the auxiliary, not the main verb. Also, unlike normal verbs, auxiliary verbs can't be reduplicated, nor can they take the aspect particles: 了, 着, and 过. Finally, when you are responding to a question that uses an auxiliary verb, you reply with the auxiliary verb, not with the main verb that it modifies.


Grammar Patterns for Auxiliary Verbs

Sources and further reading