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Verbos auxiliares: BE, HAVE, DO
Los auxiliares son verbos que ayudan a formar tiempos, preguntas y negativos. También pueden ser verbos completos con significado propio.
BE — como auxiliar
- Presente continuo: I am studying.
- Pasado continuo: She was working.
- Pasiva: The letter was sent yesterday.
- Futuro con going to: I am going to travel.
HAVE — como auxiliar
- Presente perfecto: I have lived here for years.
- Pasado perfecto: She had already left.
- Presente perfecto continuo: They have been studying.
DO — como auxiliar
- Preguntas en presente/pasado simple: Do you speak English? / Did he arrive?
- Negativos en presente/pasado simple: I don't know. / She didn't come.
- Énfasis: I do like it! (¡De verdad me gusta!)
Regla: los tres pueden ser tanto verbo principal como auxiliar. Depende del contexto.
I have a car. (verbo principal: tener)
I have lived here. (auxiliar del presente perfecto)
Reglas generales de los MODALES
Los modales (can, could, may, might, must, shall, should, will, would, ought to) son verbos especiales que expresan actitud del hablante hacia la acción. Todos siguen estas reglas:
- Después del modal va la BASE del verbo (sin to, sin -s, sin -ed, sin -ing).
She can drive. ✓ / She can drives ✗ / She can to drive ✗
- Los modales no cambian por persona. No hay cans, no hay musts.
I can, you can, he can, we can, they can.
- No usan do/does/did. Se niegan e interrogan directamente.
Can you help? ✓ / Do you can help? ✗
You cannot smoke. ✓ / You don't can smoke. ✗
- No tienen infinitivo ni gerundio propio. Para expresar esas formas se usan semi-modales como have to, be able to, be allowed to.
I want to be able to speak French. (no: want to can)
- Excepción: OUGHT TO es el único modal que sí lleva to.
You ought to apologize.
CAN
Habilidad · Permiso informal · Posibilidad general
- Habilidad presente: She can speak three languages.
- Permiso informal: Can I use your phone?
- Posibilidad general: It can get very cold in Alberta.
- Solicitud informal: Can you help me?
Negativo: cannot o contracción can't. Pasado: se usa could o was/were able to.
COULD
Habilidad pasada · Permiso/petición cortés · Posibilidad presente/futura
- Habilidad general en el pasado: When I was 10, I could run very fast.
- Petición cortés (más formal que can): Could you please open the window?
- Permiso formal: Could I ask a question?
- Posibilidad no segura: It could rain tomorrow.
- Sugerencia suave: You could try calling her.
- Condicional (segundo tipo): If I had money, I could travel.
Ojo: para hablar de una habilidad específica en el pasado (algo que lograste hacer UNA vez), usa was/were able to, no could.
Yesterday I was able to finish the report on time. (no I could finish)
MAY
Permiso formal · Posibilidad
- Permiso formal: May I come in? (más formal que Can I)
- Posibilidad presente/futura: It may rain later.
- Deseo formal (poco común): May you have a happy life.
Uso frecuente: en textos legales, avisos y correos formales. Applications may be submitted online.
MIGHT
Posibilidad (menos segura que may)
- Posibilidad remota: She might come, but I'm not sure.
- Sugerencia muy suave: You might want to check the schedule.
- Petición muy formal (raro): Might I make a suggestion?
May vs might: may es 50/50, might es menos probable. En la práctica se usan casi igual — might suena un poco menos comprometido.
MUST
Obligación fuerte · Deducción segura · Prohibición (must not)
- Obligación fuerte, impuesta por el hablante o la ley: You must wear a seatbelt.
- Deducción segura sobre el presente: Her car is here — she must be home.
- Prohibición (must not / mustn't): You must not smoke here.
- Necesidad urgente: I must finish this today.
Must vs have to:
Must = obligación desde adentro (del hablante o la ley).
Have to = obligación desde afuera (otra persona, circunstancia).
I must quit smoking (yo mismo decido) vs I have to work Saturday (mi jefe lo pidió).
Must not ≠ don't have to:
You must not park here. = prohibido.
You don't have to park here. = no es obligatorio (puedes o no).
SHALL
Ofrecimientos y sugerencias (con I/We) · Muy formal en textos legales
- Ofrecer ayuda o sugerir (con I / we): Shall I open the window? / Shall we go?
- Uso legal / formal (obligación futura): The tenant shall pay rent on the first of each month.
Ojo: en inglés cotidiano canadiense casi no se usa shall — se prefiere will. Reservado a contratos, leyes y ofrecimientos formales. Si te preguntan en CELPIP, reconócelo pero no lo uses activamente.
SHOULD
Consejo · Recomendación · Expectativa
- Consejo suave: You should see a doctor.
- Recomendación general: Tourists should visit the Rockies.
- Expectativa razonable: The results should be ready by Friday.
- Opinión personal: I think we should leave now.
- Reproche pasado (should have + participio): You should have called me.
Sinónimo cercano: ought to. Más formal, menos usado hoy.
WILL
Futuro · Predicción · Promesa · Decisión espontánea
- Futuro simple: She will arrive tomorrow.
- Predicción: It will rain later.
- Decisión espontánea: I will answer the phone.
- Promesa: I will call you tonight.
- Petición formal: Will you please close the door?
- Rechazo / voluntad: The engine won't start. (no quiere arrancar)
Will vs going to:
Will para decisiones que tomas en el momento o predicciones sin evidencia.
Going to para planes hechos antes o predicciones con evidencia.
Look at those clouds — it's going to rain. (evidencia visible)
I think it will rain tomorrow. (predicción sin evidencia)
Contracción: I'll, you'll, he'll, we'll, they'll. Negativo: won't.
WOULD
Condicional · Petición cortés · Costumbre pasada · Preferencia
- Condicional (segundo y tercer tipo): If I had money, I would travel.
- Petición muy cortés: Would you mind opening the window?
- Ofrecer con cortesía: Would you like some coffee?
- Preferencia: I would prefer to stay home. (o I'd rather stay home)
- Costumbre en el pasado: When I was a child, we would visit my grandma every Sunday.
- Reported speech (will → would): He said he would call.
Contracción: I'd, you'd, he'd, we'd, they'd. Negativo: wouldn't.
Would vs used to: ambos hablan de costumbres pasadas, pero used to también sirve para estados (I used to be shy). Would solo para acciones repetidas.
OUGHT TO
Consejo / obligación moral (menos común hoy, más formal que should)
- Consejo: You ought to apologize.
- Obligación moral: We ought to help those in need.
- Expectativa razonable: The train ought to arrive soon.
- Reproche pasado (ought to have + participio): You ought to have called.
Único modal que lleva to. Sinónimo de should, más formal, menos usado en Canadá. Reconócelo, pero usa should.
Semi-modales
No son modales verdaderos, pero funcionan parecido. Sí cambian por persona y tiempo (a diferencia de los modales puros).
HAVE TO — obligación externa
| Tiempo | Forma | Ejemplo |
|---|
| Presente | have/has to | I have to work tomorrow. |
| Pasado | had to | She had to leave early. |
| Futuro | will have to | You will have to apply again. |
| Negativo | don't/doesn't/didn't have to | You don't have to come. (opcional) |
NEED TO — necesidad
- I need to see a doctor.
- Negativo: You don't need to worry. (no es necesario)
- Formal: You needn't worry. (raro en Canadá)
USED TO — costumbre pasada
- I used to smoke, but I quit. (antes fumaba, ya no)
- She used to live in Toronto.
- Negativo: I didn't use to like coffee.
- Pregunta: Did you use to play sports?
No confundas used to con be used to:
I used to live in Mexico = antes vivía en México (costumbre pasada).
I am used to the cold = estoy acostumbrado al frío (adaptación).
Después de be used to va sustantivo o gerundio: I'm used to living here.
BE ABLE TO — habilidad (más versátil que can)
- I am able to speak Spanish. (= I can speak Spanish)
- She was able to finish on time. (habilidad específica en el pasado, no could)
- I will be able to come. (futuro — can no tiene futuro directo)
- I have been able to save money. (presente perfecto)
BE GOING TO — plan o predicción con evidencia
- I am going to travel next month. (plan ya hecho)
- Look at that cloud — it's going to rain. (predicción con evidencia)
- Contracción común: gonna (solo hablado, NO en escritura formal).
HAD BETTER — advertencia fuerte
- You had better leave now, or you'll miss the bus.
- Es más urgente que should: implica consecuencia negativa si no se hace.
- Contracción: You'd better.
Modales en pasado: modal + HAVE + participio
Se usan para hablar del pasado con un matiz (arrepentimiento, deducción, posibilidad). La estructura siempre es la misma:
modal + have + participio pasado
should have called, must have been, could have gone, might have forgotten
| Modal | Uso | Ejemplo |
|---|
| should have | Arrepentimiento (algo que debiste hacer) | You should have called me. |
| shouldn't have | Arrepentimiento (algo que no debiste hacer) | I shouldn't have said that. |
| must have | Deducción segura sobre el pasado | She must have left — the lights are off. |
| can't have | Deducción negativa segura | He can't have known — nobody told him. |
| might have | Posibilidad pasada (no segura) | They might have forgotten. |
| could have | Posibilidad no realizada / algo que era posible | You could have hurt yourself. |
| would have | Tercer condicional (algo que no pasó) | If I had known, I would have come. |
| needn't have | Hiciste algo innecesariamente | You needn't have brought a gift. |
You should have told me.
Debiste haberme dicho. (arrepentimiento)
He must have missed the bus.
Debe haber perdido el autobús. (deducción)
Contracciones — cuándo el apóstrofo confunde
Las contracciones son estándar en inglés hablado y en correos informales. En correos formales de CELPIP mejor evítalas.
| Contracción | Significado | Ejemplo |
|---|
's | is o has (según contexto) | She's happy. (is) / She's gone. (has) |
'd | had o would (según contexto) | I'd finished. (had) / I'd like coffee. (would) |
'll | will | They'll come. |
're | are | We're ready. |
've | have | They've arrived. |
'm | am | I'm tired. |
n't | not | don't, isn't, wouldn't, mustn't, shan't, shouldn't |
Truco para distinguir 's:
Si sigue un adjetivo o sustantivo → es is. She's tired.
Si sigue un participio (-ed, -en) → es has. She's finished.
Truco para distinguir 'd:
Si sigue una base + verbo → es would. I'd go.
Si sigue un participio → es had. I'd gone.
Errores típicos con modales
✗ She can drives.
Modal + BASE. Correcto: She can drive.
✗ You must to wear a helmet.
Modal (excepto ought to) NO lleva to. Correcto: You must wear.
✗ Do you can help me?
Modal NO usa do/does/did. Correcto: Can you help me?
✗ He mays go to the party.
Modales NO cambian por persona. Correcto: He may go.
✗ I would like to can speak French.
No se pueden encadenar dos modales. Correcto: I would like to be able to speak French.
✗ You should to see a doctor.
Should no lleva to. Correcto: You should see.
✗ You must not need to come.
Se confunde must not (prohibido) con don't have to (no obligatorio). Correcto: You don't have to come = no es obligatorio.
✗ If I would have known, I would have called.
En el tercer condicional, la parte del if lleva had + participio, NO would have. Correcto: If I had known, I would have called.