OET Tips: Learning About the Three Common Auxiliary Verbs

Developing your vocabulary and essay-writing skills are essential in the OET Writing Sub-test. As a student attending review classes in an OET review center Cebu, it is beneficial to seek different writing strategies and techniques that can help improve your exam preparation and achieve your writing score goal. To help you accomplish this, below is a simple yet effective writing tip about the three common auxiliary verbs.

Three Common Auxiliary Verbs

Auxiliary verbs are used together with the main verb to show the verb’s tense or to construct a negative or question. They can also be used to add functional or grammatical meaning to the clauses in which they appear, as well as to give emphasis in a sentence. If you’re a test taker enrolled in an OET Cebu review center, it is important to know the intricacies of the auxiliary verb which includes these three common auxiliary verbs:

1. Be (am, is, are, was, were, being, and been)

All progressive tenses use the auxiliary verb “be.” Check these examples:

·         Past progressive tense follows the pattern: was or were + present participle.

Lim was expecting an A in his Algebra class.

·         Present progressive tense tracks the pattern: am, is, or are + present participle.

My mom is preparing dinner for us.

·         Future progressive tense uses the pattern: will + be + present participle.

I will be growing lettuce and cabbage in the backyard this spring.

“Be” can also be used in passive sentences. Read the examples:

·         A passive sentence follows the pattern: direct object as a subject + auxiliary verb “be” + past participle + by + subject as an object of the preposition.

Bryan’s happiness was envied by everyone.

Our bags were checked by the police officer.

2. Do (does, do, did and doing)

The auxiliary verb “do is used in negative sentences and questions. See the examples:

·         Negative sentences

I did not eat the leftover lasagna.

Stewie doesn’t want to go to the movies tonight.

·         Questions

Did Joy finish her homework?

Do you want to have another one?

3. Have ( has, have, had, and having)

All perfect tenses use the auxiliary verb “have.” Look at the examples:

·         Past perfect tense follows the pattern: had + past participle.

She had worked so hard for this event.

·         Present perfect tense trails the pattern: has or have + past participle.

The company has seen its profits fall down in the last three months.

·         Future perfect tense tracks the pattern: will +have + past participle.

Lois will have gotten an entire week of uninterrupted sleep.

Do you want to know more simple writing tips? Enroll now in any review center for OET (Cebu, Makati, Manila, Quezon City, Davao, and Baguio) and check out our blog now!

REFERENCES:

"Auxiliary Verbs "Be," "Do," "Have"." Learn English Speaking and Improve Your Spoken English with Free English Speaking Lessons Online! Accessed December 18, 2018. https://www.talkenglish.com/grammar/auxiliary-verbs-be-do-have.aspx.

"Helping (Auxiliary) Verbs | Meaning, Examples & Exercises." Ginger Pages. Accessed December 18, 2018. https://www.gingersoftware.com/content/grammar-rules/verbs/auxiliary-or-helping-verbs/.

Simmons, R. "The Auxiliary Verb." Grammar Bytes! The Subordinate Conjunction. Accessed December 18, 2018. http://www.chompchomp.com/terms/auxiliaryverb.htm.