# Types of English verbs: modals, auxiliaries, and more

Understanding the categories of English verbs will help you use them effectively!

Here are the main types of verbs you’ll find in English and when to use them.

* * *

### In this post:

- [_To be_](https://blog.duolingo.com/types-of-verbs/#to-be)
- [Modal verbs](https://blog.duolingo.com/types-of-verbs/#modal-verbs)
- [Auxiliary verbs](https://blog.duolingo.com/types-of-verbs/#auxiliary-verbs)
- [Infinitives and bare forms](https://blog.duolingo.com/types-of-verbs/#infinitives-and-bare-forms-of-verbs)
- [Differences between types of verbs](https://blog.duolingo.com/types-of-verbs/#differences-between-types-of-verbs)

## _To be_

The [verb _to be_](https://blog.duolingo.com/how-to-use-the-verb-to-be-in-english/) is treated differently from other verbs. It has very irregular conjugations that you’ll have to memorize, and being able to recognize the forms of to be will help you form other [verb tenses and sentence structures](https://blog.duolingo.com/types-of-verbs/#differences-between-types-of-verbs).

| SUBJECT               | PRESENT | PAST | PAST PARTICIPLE |
|-----------------------|---------|------|-----------------|
| I                     | am      | was  | been            |
| you                   | are     | were | been            |
| he/she/it             | is      | was  | been            |
| we                    | are     | were | been            |
| you (plural)         | are     | were | been            |
| they                  | are     | were | been            |

## Modal verbs

Modals are English verbs that are used alongside another verb for actions that are possible or necessary. English modal verbs are special because they never change to [match the subject](https://blog.duolingo.com/first-person-second-person-third-person/)—you don’t have to worry about verb endings or tenses! Here are the most common English modals:

| MODAL VERB | EXAMPLE                      |
|------------|------------------------------|
| can        | I can see the moon.         |
| could      | They could run really fast.  |
| may        | Oscar may bring a friend.    |
| might      | We might see a movie.        |
| must       | You must be quiet.           |
| should     | I should study tonight.      |
| will       | She will cook dinner.        |
| would      | They would prefer to stay here. |

## Auxiliary verbs

Auxiliaries are also called “helping verbs,” because they are paired with another verb or verbs to form different tenses—they help the main verb show tense!

For example, will is a helping verb for the [future tense](https://blog.duolingo.com/future-will-going-to), and the forms of _have_ (like have, has, and had) are helping verbs for the present perfect and past perfect, and _will_ and _have_ are combined to form the future perfect. _To be_ can be used as an auxiliary, too!

| AUXILIARY VERB | EXAMPLE                                                       |
|----------------|---------------------------------------------------------------|
| to be         | We are writing to our cousins.                              |
| to have       | Bea has seen that movie four times, so it must be good!     |
| will          | You know the teacher will want us to work in groups.        |

## Infinitives and bare forms of verbs

All verbs (besides modals) have both [an _infinitive_ and a _bare form_](https://blog.duolingo.com/infinitive-bare-form-english/#infinitives-vs-bare-forms-in-english). Bare forms of verbs can be thought of as the basic form of a verb—it's the form you’ll find in a dictionary (including [online dictionaries](https://blog.duolingo.com/how-to-use-online-translators-and-dictionaries/)!).

In English, we mark [infinitives](https://blog.duolingo.com/infinitive-bare-form-english) by adding to to the bare form ( _to be_, _to go_, _to have_, etc.), while other languages you may know might have a special prefix or suffix for infinitives (like the _-ar_, _-er_, and _-ir_ endings for Spanish infinitives).

| BARE FORM | INFINITIVE  | EXAMPLES                                       |
|-----------|-------------|-------------------------------------------------|
| eat       | **to** eat  | My dog can eat all day. He just wants to eat! |
| read      | **to** read | I should read more for fun—and I’d like to read fewer work emails! |

## Differences between types of verbs

Understanding the different kinds of verbs in English will help you recognize and learn important grammar rules.

For example, modal verbs and other verbs can be followed by another verb. You’ll use the bare form after modals but the [infinitive](https://blog.duolingo.com/infinitive-bare-form-english) with _to_ after other verbs.

In English, there are also different rules for how you form questions, depending on whether the sentence uses the verb _to be,_ a modal, or an auxiliary—or whether it has any other verb. Here you can see the different patterns for forming [yes/no questions in English](https://blog.duolingo.com/english-yes-or-no-questions/):

| VERB TYPE        | YES/NO QUESTION                               |
|-----------------|-----------------------------------------------|
| _to be_         | Are Lily and Zari ready for class?           |
| modal           | Can you all bring dessert?                    |
| auxiliary        | Has it been raining all morning?              |
| any other verb  | Does Oscar ever eat fast food?<br>Didn’t they go on the long tour?<br>Do I enter on the left? |

The same is true for [_wh-_ questions](https://blog.duolingo.com/what-are-wh-questions/) and [tag questions](https://blog.duolingo.com/what-are-tag-questions/): There are different rules for different types of verbs!

## Grow your knowledge of English verbs!

To learn more about English verbs, review these helpful guides with conjugation tables, tips and tricks, and useful explanations!

- [How to use _to be_](https://blog.duolingo.com/how-to-use-the-verb-to-be-in-english/)
- [The differences between _make_ and _do_](https://blog.duolingo.com/difference-between-do-and-make-in-english/)
- [English tenses and verb forms: an overview](https://blog.duolingo.com/verb-forms)