Les verbes auxiliaires sont généralement utilisés avec un verbe principal pour ajouter sens supplémentaire à une phrase. Ils peuvent également être utilisés pour conjuguer les verbes aux temps composés, pour demeter et répondre à des questions par oui ou non ou pour exprimer la négation et la voix passive.
Les trois verbes auxiliaires les plus courants sont “be”, “have” et “do”.
Comme les verbes ordinaires, ils ont à la fois des formes infinitives et irrégulières. Ils peuvent parfois être utilisés seuls comme verbes principaux, par exemple “He does just as I say” (to do), “I had everything I needed” (to have), “We have never been to Englet” (to be).
En tant qu'auxiliaire, "be" est principalement utilisé pour les formes continues, par exemple “I am learning English” (to learn) et pour la voix passive, par exemple “She was raised by her mother” (to raise).
“Have” est également utilisé comme auxiliaire pour former des temps composés tels que le présent ou le passé parfait, dans la voix active et dans la voix passive. Par exemple : “Have you tried to call him?” (to try), “He had been given a second chance” (to give).
"Do" est utilisé comme auxiliaire pour former des questions et des phrases négatives avec des verbes principaux. Dans la forme négative parlée, la particule "not" est contracté et change en "-n't", par exemple “Did you see that? – No, I did not / didn’t!” (to see). peut également être utilisé pour l'accentuation avec des verbes principaux, par exemple “Stop calling me lazy, I did clean the bathroom!” (to clean)
Les verbes modaux sont un type spécial de verbes auxiliaires. Ils sont toujours suivis par l'infinitif d'un verbe principal sans "to", par exemple “You can leave now” (to leave), “She might know about this already” (to know).
Ils ont une seule forme et ne peuvent pas être conjugués avec d'autres auxiliaires (pas de temps continu ni de formes passives) : on ne peut pas dire *“she musts”, *“I am mighting” ou *“you were coulded”. Les formes négatives sont formées en ajoutant "not" après le verbe modal. Certains verbes modaux peuvent être contractés : “can’t”, “couldn’t”, “wouldn’t”, “shouldn’t”, “won’t” et “shan’t”.
Emphase
do/does/did
Actually I do know that, but thanks!
Aptitude
can
be able to/am able to/are able to/is able to/was able to/were able to
could
I can read pretty fast.
She was not able to catch her plane.
Could you finish the test yesterday?
Permission
may
might
Can I leave now?
May I come in?
Could you close the window?
Might I join you?
Interdiction
cannot/can't
must not/mustn't
may not
be not to
You can't walk on the grass.
He must not fight with his sister.
You may not smoke in this room.
We are not to travel alone.
Obligation / Ordre
must
have to/have got to
be to
will
shall
We must stay quiet.
You have to go now.
I am to stay here et wait for her.
You will stop answering back now!
You shall work harder next time.
Devoir / Conseil
should
ought to
He should study more seriously.
You ought go to bed earlier.
You must see this movie once in your life!
Nécessité
have to/has to/had to
need to/needs to/needed to
He must stop complaining constantly.
I have to catch my train at 8 am.
I need to pay the rent every month.
Absence de nécessité
do not have to/don't have to/does not have to/doesn't have to/did not have to/didn't have to
need not/needn't/needs not/do not need to/don't need to/does not need to/doesn't need to/did not need to/didn't need to/needed not
You don't have to come if you don't want to.
You needn't worry, he will be fine.
Engagement
will/'ll
shall/'ll
I'll never lie to her again.
I shall honour this promise.
Demete / Invitation
would
Shall we dance?
Will you come to the party tonight?
Would you please help me?
Impossibilité
could not/couldn't
will not/won't
would not/wouldn't
This can't be right.
He couldn't stop crying when he heard the news.
Regrets won't help you now!
I told you it just wouldn't work.
Certitude
That'll be him ringing the doorbell.
Probabilité
She should be home by now.
They must be very proud.
He can't be more than thirty.
Possibilité
He could be dead already.
It may or may not rain for the picnic.
This might be the answer to my problem.
It can be that she didn't want to bother you.
Habitude
used to
I used to play in this park when I was little.
For years, she would visit her friends every Sunday.
Défi
dare
do not dare/don't dare/does not dare/doesn't dare/daren't
did not dare/didn't dare/dared not
How dare you call me selfish?
I don't dare look down from the top.
She dared not complain about her bully.