Auxiliary Verbs (Helping Verbs)
* Function: Auxiliary verbs help main verbs to form different tenses, moods, and voices. They don't carry the main meaning of the sentence.
* Examples: *be*, *have*, *do*, *will*, *shall*, *can*, *could*, *may*, *might*, *must*, *should*, *would*
Lexical Verbs (Main Verbs)
* Function: Lexical verbs express the action or state of being in a sentence. They carry the primary meaning.
* Examples: *run*, *eat*, *sleep*, *think*, *love*, *exist*, *become*
How to Tell the Difference:
1. Meaning: Auxiliary verbs don't have a distinct meaning on their own. They help to create meaning with the main verb. Lexical verbs have independent meaning.
2. Sentence Structure: Auxiliary verbs usually precede the main verb.
3. Question Formation: Auxiliary verbs are used to form questions, while lexical verbs are not.
Examples:
* "I am eating breakfast."
* Auxiliary verb: *am*
* Lexical verb: *eating*
* "She has been running."
* Auxiliary verbs: *has*, *been*
* Lexical verb: *running*
* "Can you swim?"
* Auxiliary verb: *Can*
* Lexical verb: *swim*
Key Points:
* Sometimes, the same word can be an auxiliary or a lexical verb depending on its role in the sentence.
* Example: "I do my homework." (Lexical verb - "do" means to complete) vs. "I do like pizza." (Auxiliary verb - "do" helps to emphasize the liking)
* A sentence can have multiple auxiliary verbs.
Let me know if you'd like to explore more examples or have any further questions!