Primary Auxiliaries

The verbs be, have, do are sometimes called primary auxiliary verbs. These verbs and their conjugated forms can act as auxiliary verbs but they can also function as the main verb.

When they are used as auxiliary verbs, these verbs are paired with a main verb. When acting as a main verb, these verbs stand alone.

Example; Jordan is in school.

Jordan is going to school.

In the first sentence, the verb is acts as the main verb, it is not accompanied by any other verb.

In the second sentence, the verb is acts as an auxiliary verb and is accompanied by the verb ‘going’.