English Grammar Understanding the Basics - Evelyn P. Altenberg, Robert M. Vago 2010
Lesson 35: Combining auxiliary verbs
Unit 12: Auxiliary phrases
Part II: Kinds of phrases
All the sentences with helping (auxiliary) verbs that we’ve looked at so far have had only one helping verb. It’s possible, however, for a sentence to have more than one helping verb. Here are some examples of sentences with two helping verbs; the helping verbs are underlined. (Remember that there are three kinds of helping verbs: (a) modals (e.g. should, can, might), (b) have, and (c) be. See Lessons 32-34.)
1. She should have studied. (modal + have)
2. She may be studying. (modal + be)
3. She has been studying. (have + be)
When a sentence has two helping verbs, which helping verb is first? If a sentence has a modal, that will always be the first helping verb, as you can see in sentences 1 and 2. If a sentence has both have and be as helping verbs, have will always be first, as you can see in sentence 3.
Can you think of a sentence with three helping verbs? Sentences 4 and 5 have three helping verbs (underlined):
4. She should have been studying.
5. Mary might have been looking at him.
If there are three helping verb s, they are always in the following order: modal + have + be, as you can see from sentences 4 and 5. And if there are only two helping verbs, they’re still in this relative order, with modal first, and have before be.
Quick tip 35.1
A sentence can have zero, one, or more than one helping verb. If there is more than one, they will always be in the following relative order: modal + have + be.
Test yourself 35.1
For each sentence below, underline the main verb. Then decide if the sentence has zero, one, two, or three helping verbs before the main verb.
Sample: They may rent a car at the terminal. 1
Getting started (answers on p. 165)
1. She was focusing on the mirror.
2. Andy should have been enjoying his new career.
3. Mrs. Packard’s life changed at that point.
4. You can have two scoops of ice cream.
5. I might have committed a serious error.
More practice (answers on the website)
6. Tamara has been working for 22 years.
7. He could have been telling the truth.
8. The birds were chirping early in the morning.
9. Gauguin painted in Tahiti.
10. Tomorrow we will go to the movies.
Test yourself 35.2
Underline each helping verb in the sentences below. Each sentence will have at least one helping verb.
Sample: The children have been working hard.
Getting started (answers on p. 165)
1. You should read this book.
2. She had been greeting me happily.
3. Janice might have gotten the flu.
4. My question was bothering him.
5. The prime suspect might have been telling the truth.
More practice (answers on the website)
6. He could have been a hero.
7. The journalists will be traveling throughout Canada.
8. I have written many articles about the wealthy.
9. This has been a difficult time for me.
10. The trial has been going on far too long.
Test yourself 35.3
Underline each helping verb in the sentences below. A sentence will have anywhere from zero to three helping verbs.
Sample: He and Bill shook hands. (No helping verb.)
Getting started (answers on p.166)
1. I had been writing to him often.
2. Their mother has spoken of you a lot.
3. Sam will recognize it immediately.
4. We were good friends.
5. You should be studying right now.
More practice (answers on the website)
6. He may have been working on the project.
7. We had a sudden downpour.
8. This storm will pass soon.
9. The attorney may have overstated her case.
10. This relationship is improving rapidly.
Test yourself 35.4
Underline each helping verb in the sentences below and put a squiggly line under the main verb. A sentence will have anywhere from zero to three helping verbs.
Getting started (answers on p. 166)
1. They can do the research.
2. Suzanne might be leaving sooner.
3. Papa has been teasing him.
4. I might have been being too cautious.
5. The plane was late.
More practice (answers on the website)
6. The student will have completed his assignment by tomorrow.
7. You are being silly.
8. Everyone has had a great time at the party.
9. The show was a great success.
10. It must have been di/cult to do that.