Modal & Auxiliary Verbs + Editing & Omission: Complete Grammar Notes With Rules, Examples & Exercises

MODAL & AUXILIARY VERBS + EDITING &
OMISSION
Complete Notes (PDF-Ready)




SECTION 1: MODALS & AUXILIARY
VERBS


1. AUXILIARY VERBS
Auxiliary verbs are helping verbs used with main verbs to show tense, voice, mood, or
aspect.

There are two types:




1.1 Primary Auxiliaries
BE (is/am/are/was/were)

Used for:

●​ Continuous tense → She is singing.​

●​ Passive voice → The book was written by him.​



HAVE (has/have/had)

Used for:

, ●​ Perfect tense → They have finished.​



DO (do/does/did)

Used for:

●​ Negative sentences → I do not know.​

●​ Questions → Does he play?​




1.2 Modal Auxiliaries (Modals)
Modals show ability, permission, possibility, necessity, probability, advice, and obligation.​
They never change form (no –s, –ed, –ing).

List of Modals

can, could, may, might, shall, should, will, would, must, ought to, used to, need, dare




2. USES OF MODALS (FULL TABLE)
Modal Use Example

Can Ability, permission, possibility She can swim.

Could Past ability, polite request, weak possibility Could you help me?

May Permission, possibility, wish You may go now.

Might Weak possibility It might rain today.

Shall Future (I/we), suggestion Shall we start?

Should Advice, moral duty, expectation You should study.

Will Future, willingness, promise I will call you.

Would Past habits, polite requests Would you like tea?