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| auxiliary |
see "auxiliary verb." [1/7 definitions] |
| auxiliary verb |
a verb used in conjunction with a main verb in a clause that assists the main verb in reflecting aspects, voices, moods, and tenses. In the sentence "They have escaped," the main verb is "escaped," and the auxiliary verb is "have." |
| be going to |
used as an auxiliary verb to express a plan or intention to carry out some action, or to express a prediction of what seems likely to occur based on certain evidence. |
| modal auxiliary |
an auxiliary verb, such as "can," "may," "must," or "should," that is used to modify the meaning of a main verb by including such notions as necessity, possibility, certainty, capability, advisability, potential, and expectation. |
| participle |
in grammar, a verb form that combines with certain auxiliary verbs ("be" or "have") to give a verb in a sentence a particular aspect, either "perfect" or "progressive," or voice, either "active" or "passive." Participles can also serve the function of adjectives. |
| periphrastic |
formed with an auxiliary verb or a particle instead of an inflection, such as "it did ring" rather than "it rang". [1/2 definitions] |
| used to |
functioning as an auxiliary verb followed by the infinitive marker "to," used to describe an action or state that existed in the past but does not happen or exist now. [1/2 definitions] |
| verb phrase |
in grammar, either a phrase that includes a verb with auxiliary verbs, such as "had been crying," or one that includes a verb and adverb, such as "give up". |
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