auxiliary verb

[ awg-zil-yuh-ree vurb, -zil-uh- ]

noun

, Grammar.

1. a verb used before and together with certain forms of other verbs, such as infinitives or participles, to express distinctions of tense, duration, possibility, obligation, etc., as in I am listening, We have spoken, They can see, Did you go?

auxiliary verb

noun

1. a verb used to indicate the tense, voice, mood, etc, of another verb where this is not indicated by inflection, such as English will in he will go, was in he was eating and he was eaten, do in I do like you, etc

auxiliary verb

1. A “helping” verb that modifies the main verb, as in “Gail can win,” “Gail did win,” “Gail could have won.” A question often begins with an auxiliary verb: “ Did Gail win?” “ Could Gail lose?” The various forms of the verbs can , have , is , and does frequently act as auxiliaries.

Word History and Origins

Origin of auxiliary verb¹

First recorded in 1755–65

Example Sentences

Similarly, the allegedly unsplittable verb will execute is not a verb at all but two verbs, the auxiliary verb will and the main verb execute.

From Literature

“No player has ever bought me a pint, but as his English teacher, Franco Baresi did give me a fine bottle of prosecco for Christmas. A generous soul with weak auxiliary verbs.”

From The Guardian

Emphasis on might. And a whole slew of future tense auxiliary verbs.

From Los Angeles Times

For example, did you know that the present continuous tense is formed with the help of the auxiliary verb “to be”?

From New York Times

These and other auxiliary verbs need not detain us long.

From Project Gutenberg