Level 06 – Step 06 : Modals vs Primary Auxiliary Verbs — I can swim. She is swimming.
/Level 06 – Step 06 : Modals vs Primary Auxiliary Verbs — I can swim. She is swimming.
🚪 Let’s Begin
/🚪 Let’s Begin
🦉Professor Owl: Today we will compare two helpers in English: modals like can or must, and primary auxiliaries like be, have, and do.
/🦉Professor Owl: Today we will compare two helpers in English: modals like can or must, and primary auxiliaries like be, have, and do.
🐧Igupen: They both help other verbs, but what’s the real difference?
/🐧Igupen: They both help other verbs, but what’s the real difference?
🦉Professor Owl: Good question.
/🦉Professor Owl: Good question.
We’ll look at simple rules and lots of short examples so you can spot them quickly.
/We’ll look at simple rules and lots of short examples so you can spot them quickly.
📚 Lesson
/📚 Lesson
What’s the main idea?
/What’s the main idea?
Both modals and primary auxiliaries are “helping verbs.”
/Both modals and primary auxiliaries are “helping verbs.”
They work with a main verb to make meaning or grammar clear.
/They work with a main verb to make meaning or grammar clear.
Modals (can, could, may, might, must, should, will, would, ought to) add meaning: ability, permission, possibility, obligation, advice, or intent.
/Modals (can, could, may, might, must, should, will, would, ought to) add meaning: ability, permission, possibility, obligation, advice, or intent.
Primary auxiliaries (be, have, do) build grammar forms: tense, aspect (progressive/perfect), questions, and negation.
/Primary auxiliaries (be, have, do) build grammar forms: tense, aspect (progressive/perfect), questions, and negation.
Simple, child-friendly signals
/Simple, child-friendly signals
Modals show meaning and are followed by the base verb: can + swim, should + study, might + rain.
/Modals show meaning and are followed by the base verb: can + swim, should + study, might + rain.
Primary auxiliaries change form with the subject and tense: be → am/is/are/was, have → has/have/had, do → do/does/did.
/Primary auxiliaries change form with the subject and tense: be → am/is/are/was, have → has/have/had, do → do/does/did.
After primary auxiliaries you make special verb forms: be + -ing (is running), have + past participle (has eaten), do + base (Do you like? / I do not like).
/After primary auxiliaries you make special verb forms: be + -ing (is running), have + past participle (has eaten), do + base (Do you like? / I do not like).
Quick comparisons
/Quick comparisons
Form: Modals don’t add -s for he/she and don’t have normal past forms.
/Form: Modals don’t add -s for he/she and don’t have normal past forms.
Primary auxiliaries change: is/are, has/have, do/does.
/Primary auxiliaries change: is/are, has/have, do/does.
Function: Modals give speaker’s attitude (ability, permission); auxiliaries change tense/structure.
/Function: Modals give speaker’s attitude (ability, permission); auxiliaries change tense/structure.
Following verb: Modals → base verb.
/Following verb: Modals → base verb.
Auxiliaries → specific structures (progressive, perfect, etc.).
/Auxiliaries → specific structures (progressive, perfect, etc.).
When something looks like both
/When something looks like both
Semi‑modals (have to, need to, be going to, used to, be able to) behave like modals in meaning but follow normal verb patterns (e.g., I have to → has/have changes).
/Semi‑modals (have to, need to, be going to, used to, be able to) behave like modals in meaning but follow normal verb patterns (e.g., I have to → has/have changes).
🦉Professor Owl’s one-point tip
/🦉Professor Owl’s one-point tip
Find the job first: If the helper tells you “when or how” the action happens (tense/form), it’s probably be/have/do.
/Find the job first: If the helper tells you “when or how” the action happens (tense/form), it’s probably be/have/do.
If it tells you the attitude (can, must, might), it’s a modal.
/If it tells you the attitude (can, must, might), it’s a modal.
🌼 Sample Sentences
/🌼 Sample Sentences
No.01 I can swim.
/No.01 I can swim.
No.02 She is swimming.
/No.02 She is swimming.
No.03 They have eaten.
/No.03 They have eaten.
No.04 Do you like apples?
/No.04 Do you like apples?
No.05 You must wear a helmet.
/No.05 You must wear a helmet.
No.06 He could run fast when he was young.
/No.06 He could run fast when he was young.
No.07 It might rain tomorrow.
/No.07 It might rain tomorrow.
No.08 She has to finish her work.
/No.08 She has to finish her work.
No.09 We were walking to school.
/No.09 We were walking to school.
No.10 Would you help me, please?
/No.10 Would you help me, please?
🎓 Practice exercises
/🎓 Practice exercises
Note: Think first, then check the answers.
/Note: Think first, then check the answers.
Q1: Which word is a modal? A) is B) can C) have
/Q1: Which word is a modal? A) is B) can C) have
Q2: Which is a primary auxiliary? A) should B) do C) might
/Q2: Which is a primary auxiliary? A) should B) do C) might
Q3: Choose the correct helper for tense/form: She _____ eaten lunch. (has / must)
/Q3: Choose the correct helper for tense/form: She _____ eaten lunch. (has / must)
Q4: Identify the helper and the main verb: I can swim. (helper ; main verb)
/Q4: Identify the helper and the main verb: I can swim. (helper ; main verb)
Q5: Does this show ability, obligation, or tense/form? He is sleeping.
/Q5: Does this show ability, obligation, or tense/form? He is sleeping.
Q6: Fill in the blank with a modal for permission: _____ I open the window? (one word)
/Q6: Fill in the blank with a modal for permission: _____ I open the window? (one word)
Q7: Choose the correct sentence (grammatically): A) He cans play. B) He can play.
/Q7: Choose the correct sentence (grammatically): A) He cans play. B) He can play.
Q8: Which helper changes with subject: A) can B) is C) must
/Q8: Which helper changes with subject: A) can B) is C) must
Q9: Is “have to” a modal or a semi‑modal?
/Q9: Is “have to” a modal or a semi‑modal?
Q10: Convert to a question using do/does: You like pizza. → ________?
/Q10: Convert to a question using do/does: You like pizza. → ________?
◆ Answers
/◆ Answers
A1: B) can.
/A1: B) can.
A2: B) do.
/A2: B) do.
A3: has → She has eaten lunch.
/A3: has → She has eaten lunch.
A4: helper can; main verb swim.
/A4: helper can; main verb swim.
A5: tense/form (progressive; “is” + -ing shows progressive).
/A5: tense/form (progressive; “is” + -ing shows progressive).
A6: May / Can (best simple: May I open the window? — either May or Can; use May for polite permission).
/A6: May / Can (best simple: May I open the window? — either May or Can; use May for polite permission).
A7: B) He can play.
/A7: B) He can play.
A8: B) is (be changes: I am, you are, he is).
/A8: B) is (be changes: I am, you are, he is).
A9: semi‑modal.
/A9: semi‑modal.
A10: Do you like pizza?
/A10: Do you like pizza?
🦉 Closing
/🦉 Closing
🦉Professor Owl: Well done.
/🦉Professor Owl: Well done.
Remember: modals add meaning (ability, permission, advice), and primary auxiliaries make tenses and questions.
/Remember: modals add meaning (ability, permission, advice), and primary auxiliaries make tenses and questions.
🐧Igupen: I’ll listen for can, must, and will to spot modals, and for is, have, do to spot grammar helpers.
/🐧Igupen: I’ll listen for can, must, and will to spot modals, and for is, have, do to spot grammar helpers.
🦉Professor Owl: That’s a great plan.
/🦉Professor Owl: That’s a great plan.
Try making five short sentences and label each helper — practice makes spotting them fast.
/Try making five short sentences and label each helper — practice makes spotting them fast.
