{"id":32477,"date":"2015-04-21T12:02:29","date_gmt":"2015-04-21T12:02:29","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.eoisabi.org\/?p=32477"},"modified":"2020-11-04T22:47:11","modified_gmt":"2020-11-04T22:47:11","slug":"meaningful-auxiliaries","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/englishroam.com\/?p=32477","title":{"rendered":"Strong auxiliaries"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Auxiliary<\/strong> verbs are needed in English for both questions<\/em> and negative<\/em> statements. They are grammar<\/em> words, and typically de-emphasized<\/strong> in speech by being uttered in a very soft<\/strong> voice. They often appear as question-tags<\/em> in everyday conversation… \u00abYou know what I mean, don’t you?\u00bb<\/em><\/p>\n

When we write in informal contexts, we tend to use contractions<\/strong>, and when we speak, we pronounce them so little that you can actually leave them out<\/strong> without causing an awkward effect on the listener, as long as you add the typical\u00a0rising<\/strong> intonation for YES\/No questions<\/em>:<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

– You come from Spain?<\/address>\n
– You speak English?<\/address>\n
– You listening to me?<\/address>\n
– Got the tickets?<\/address>\n

Spaniards find it very difficult to de-emphasize<\/em> words or syllables. As a result, we often give the impression of YELLING, and mystify the message by highlighting<\/em> unimportant or irrelevant words.<\/p>\n

Why not take this to your own advantage<\/em> and make more use of the expressions below! They all involve auxiliary verbs functioning as fully meaningful<\/strong> words (i.e.: conveying lots of relevant<\/strong> information) and hence pronounced Spanish-way, using\u00a0strong<\/strong> forms…<\/p>\n

\"echoQ\"<\/a><\/p>\n

\"Listen\"<\/span><\/h5>\n
\u00abShe can’t speak English.\u00bb<\/address>\n
\u00abCan’t<\/strong> she?\u00bb<\/address>\n
\u00f7<\/address>\n
\u00abOk, I’ll do it.\u00bb<\/address>\n
\u00abWill<\/strong> you?\u00bb\u00a0<\/address>\n