An example of an auxiliary verb in an interrogative sentence, according to the provided reference, is Are in the sentence "Are you waiting for your friend?"
Interrogative sentences are used to ask questions. As highlighted in the reference, one common pattern for forming interrogative sentences involves the use of an auxiliary verb placed before the subject of the sentence.
Understanding Auxiliary Verbs in Questions
Auxiliary verbs, also known as helping verbs, combine with a main verb to form a verb phrase. They help express tense, mood, voice, or emphasis. In many interrogative structures, an auxiliary verb initiates the question, followed by the subject, and then the main verb.
The reference outlines specific patterns for interrogative sentences, including:
- BE + Subject + Complement + ?
- Auxiliary + Subject + Main Verb + object + ?
It is the second pattern that directly illustrates the use of auxiliary verbs with main verbs in questions.
Examples from the Reference
Here are examples provided in the reference that show auxiliary verbs used in interrogative sentences:
| Auxiliary Verb | Subject | Main Verb | Object/Complement | Sentence |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Are | you | waiting | for your friend? | Are you waiting for your friend? |
| Had | she | finished | her lunch by then? | Had she finished her lunch by then? |
| Did | he | treat | you with respect? | Did he treat you with respect? |
In these examples, the words Are, Had, and Did function as auxiliary verbs that precede the subject (you, she, he) and the main verb (waiting, finished, treat) to form a question.
This structure is fundamental to forming many types of questions in English, allowing speakers to inquire about actions, states, or events.
