Seattle Central Community College

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Seattle Central Community College
ASL Grammar Topic
Auxiliary Verbs
Modals, Tense, Aspect
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Auxiliary Verbs - Modals, Tense Markers, Aspect
Markers
Grammatical Properties 1. Auxiliary verbs
precede the main verb. 2. Auxiliary verb tags
precede the copy-subject-pronoun tag. 3.
Auxiliary verbs can appear in both
locations.
EVERY-MORNING MAN IX MUST DRINK COFFEE MUST HE
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Auxiliary Verbs - Modals, Tense Markers, Aspect
Markers
Practice signing sentences with auxiliary verbs
in both locations.
Modals CAN SHOULD MUST MAYBE CANT REFUSE WILL WON
T
Tense Markers PAST RECENT FORMERLY UP-TO-NOW NOW F
UTURE
Aspect Markers FINISH NOT-YET
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Auxiliary Verbs - Modals, Tense Markers, Aspect
Markers
Why are there different categories of auxiliary
verbs?
Modals indicate the attitude (modality) of the
signer to the event described in the main
verb. These are in contrast to simple assertions.
Modals CAN SHOULD MUST MAYBE CANT REFUSE WILL WON
T
Possibility - e.g. MAYBE Prediction - e.g.
WILL Permission - e.g. CAN Ability - e.g. CANT
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Auxiliary Verbs - Modals, Tense Markers, Aspect
Markers
Why are there different categories of auxiliary
verbs?
Tense markers are similar to time indicators in
production but they are restricted in their
production and their location in a sentence. Can
you notice the difference in these two related
signs in the following sentences?
Tense Markers PAST RECENT FORMERLY UP-TO-NOW NOW F
UTURE
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Auxiliary Verbs - Modals, Tense Markers, Aspect
Markers
Why are there different categories of auxiliary
verbs?
Aspect Markers indicate whether an event is
viewed as being completed or not. Aspect markers
can stand alone, or come last if combined with
other auxiliary verbs or negatives. Example
Aspect Markers FINISH NOT-YET
J-O-H-N MAYBE PAST NOT FINISH READ BOOK MAYBE
HE Perhaps John had not finished reading the
book.
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Auxiliary Verbs - Modals, Tense Markers, Aspect
Markers
Discuss in more detail for the next level.
Modals CAN SHOULD MUST MAYBE CANT REFUSE WILL WON
T
Modals ALWAYS OFTEN SOMETIMES RARE NEVER
Auxiliary PREFER TRY WANT WAIT DESIRE ENJOY DONT-
WANT
Aspect FINISH NOT-YET
Tense PAST RECENT FORMERLY UP-TO-NOW NOW FUTURE