AUXILIARY VERBS - ESL worksheet by nikabike - Free Printable

Let's solve each of the 15 questions using the grammar chart provided and explain the correct answers based on auxiliary verbs — specifically be, have, and do — in different tenses and contexts.

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🔹 Understanding the Grammar Chart

The chart shows:
- will/shall: Future
- To be (am/is/are/was/were): Present & Past
- To have (have/has/had): Present & Past
- To do (do/does/did): Present & Past

We use these auxiliary verbs to form questions, negatives, and perfect or continuous tenses.

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Now let’s go through each question one by one:

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1. I will go to Texas after I ———— finished my work here.

> a) has
> b) have
> c) had

✔ Correct answer: b) have

Explanation:
This is a future action ("I will go") that depends on a present perfect condition ("after I have finished"). The structure is:
👉 *After + subject + have/has + past participle*
Since the subject is "I", we use have.
✔️ "I will go to Texas after I have finished my work here."

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2. She ———— playing the piano when I entered her room.

> a) was
> b) is
> c) has

✔ Correct answer: a) was

Explanation:
This describes an ongoing action in the past ("playing") at a specific time in the past ("when I entered").
We need the past continuous tense: *was/were + verb-ing*.
Subject is "She" → was
✔️ "She was playing the piano..."

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3. The patient ———— died before the doctor came.

> a) has
> b) did
> c) had

✔ Correct answer: c) had

Explanation:
"Before the doctor came" is a past event. The patient died before that, so it’s past perfect (had + past participle).
✔️ "The patient had died before the doctor came."

Note: "had died" is the past perfect form of "die".

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4. ———— you ever been to Kashmir?

> a) were
> b) have
> c) had

✔ Correct answer: b) have

Explanation:
This is asking about experience up to now → present perfect.
Structure: *Have/Has + subject + past participle?*
"you" → have
✔️ "Have you ever been to Kashmir?"

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5. That is what he ———— not seem to understand.

> a) did
> b) does
> c) has

✔ Correct answer: b) does

Explanation:
This is a present simple situation: "he doesn't seem to understand."
"Seem" is a main verb; we need an auxiliary for negation.
Subject is "he" → uses does
So: "he does not seem..."
✔️ "That is what he does not seem to understand."

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6. They ———— say that they would pay up.

> a) does
> b) do
> c) did

✔ Correct answer: c) did

Explanation:
"Would pay up" is in the conditional past. The sentence implies a past intention.
So we need did to emphasize past action.
✔️ "They did say that they would pay up."
(= They actually said it.)

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7. I will call you when dinner ———— ready.

> a) is
> b) was
> c) has

✔ Correct answer: a) is

Explanation:
This is a future time clause with "when". The rule is:
👉 Use present simple to talk about future events in time clauses.
So: "when dinner is ready" (not "will be").
✔️ "I will call you when dinner is ready."

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8. She asked where I ———— going.

> a) am
> b) was
> c) have

✔ Correct answer: b) was

Explanation:
This is a reported question. The main verb "asked" is past tense.
So the embedded clause must also be in past tense.
Original direct speech: "Where are you going?"
Reported: "She asked where I was going."
✔️ "She asked where I was going."

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9. ———— you know where John lives?

> a) have
> b) do
> c) does

✔ Correct answer: b) do

Explanation:
"Know" is a main verb. To form a yes/no question, we use do/does for present simple.
Subject is "you" → do
✔️ "Do you know where John lives?"

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10. I ———— admit that I was wrong.

> a) do
> b) have
> c) was

✔ Correct answer: a) do

Explanation:
This is a present simple statement with emphasis.
"I do admit" = I really admit (emphasizing the truth).
✔️ "I do admit that I was wrong."

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11. I always feed the dogs before I ———— breakfast.

> a) have
> b) has
> c) had

✔ Correct answer: a) have

Explanation:
"Always" indicates a habit, so present simple.
Subject is "I" → have
✔️ "I always feed the dogs before I have breakfast."

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12. Before he ———— community service, he went to university.

> a) did
> b) had
> c) has

✔ Correct answer: a) did

Explanation:
"went to university" is past. The community service happened before that.
So both actions are in the past.
"Did" is the past tense of "do" (to do something).
✔️ "Before he did community service, he went to university."

(Note: "had" would require a perfect tense like "had done", but here we just need simple past.)

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13. After he ———— finished school, he went to England.

> a) had
> b) has
> c) did

✔ Correct answer: a) had

Explanation:
"Finished school" happened before "went to England".
So we need past perfect (had + past participle).
✔️ "After he had finished school, he went to England."

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14. We ———— to get a 10 per cent wage rise in May.

> a) was
> b) are
> c) have

✔ Correct answer: b) are

Explanation:
"We" as subject → plural.
"Are" is the correct form of to be.
"Are to get" means "are scheduled/expected to get".
✔️ "We are to get a 10 per cent wage rise in May."

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15. Why don’t you ———— a good boy and sit down?

> a) be
> b) is
> c) was

✔ Correct answer: a) be

Explanation:
"why don’t you" is followed by base form of the verb.
So: "Why don’t you be a good boy..."
✔️ "Why don’t you be a good boy and sit down?"

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## ✔ Final Answers Summary:

| Q# | Answer |
|----|--------|
| 1 | b) have |
| 2 | a) was |
| 3 | c) had |
| 4 | b) have |
| 5 | b) does |
| 6 | c) did |
| 7 | a) is |
| 8 | b) was |
| 9 | b) do |
| 10 | a) do |
| 11 | a) have |
| 12 | a) did |
| 13 | a) had |
| 14 | b) are |
| 15 | a) be |

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