AUXILIARIES
PRESENT/FUTURE
AUXILIARY USES PAST TIME
TIME
will 1. certainty He will be here at six.
(future only)
2. willingness The phone is ringing. I'll
get it.
3. polite request Will you please pass the
salt?
Be going to 1. certainty I am going to be here at
six. (future only)
2. definite plan I am going to paint the
wall (future only)
would 1. polite request a. Would you please pass
the salt?
b. Would you mind If you
move back?
c. Would you mind taking
the board marker?
2. preference I would rather go to the I would rather have gone
park than stay home. to the park
3. want She would be glad to show She would have been glad
you around the city. to show you around the
city.
shall Polite question Shall I open the door?
to make sugges-
tion
Should/ Obligation/advi a. You should study to- a.You should have stu-
ought to sability. night. died last night.
b. You ought to be a- b. You ought to have
shamed of your-self. been ashamed of
yourself.
Had better obligation You had better come on
time.
May 1. polite request May I borrow your pen?
2. permission You may leave the class.
3. possibility A : Where is John? He may have been at the
B : He may be at the li- library.
brary.
might possibility He might be at the libra He might have been at
ry. the library.
must 1. necessity I must go to class today. I had to go to class today.
2. prohibition You must not disturb him
3. certainty Mary isn't in class. She She must have been sick
must be sick (present on- yesterday.
ly)
Have to necessity I have to go to the grocery I had to go to the grocery
store. store.
Have got to necessity I have got to go to class. I had got to go to class.
Can/ 1. Ability I can do the test. I could do the test.
could 2. permission You can bring my bicycle
tomorrow.
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1 2 3 4
Can/ 3. request Can I borrow your um-
could brella?
4. possibility a. It can be true. a. It can have been true.
b. He could be at home. b. He could have beenat
home
5. polite request Could you help me?
6. impossibility That couldn't be true. That couldn't have be
(-) true.
Be able to ability a. I am able to help you. I was able to help you.
b. I will be able to help
you.
Be supposed expectation Class is supposed to Class was supposed to
to begin at 06.45. begin at 06.45.
Be to Strong You are to be here at six. You were to be here at
expectation six.
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