Using auxiliaries to express surprise: How and When to Use in English
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Using auxiliaries to express surprise
To express amazement, surprise or simply interest in what we have just heard, the auxiliary verb is used in the following way:
- He ran out of money. - Did he? He ran out of money. - Really?!
- I am fond of classical music. - Are you? I am fond of classical music. - Is that true?!
Amazement can be expressed by means of the same construction by inverting the position of the auxiliary verb and the subject. This indicates even greater surprise:
- I'm going to Mexico tomorrow. - You are? I'm going to Mexico tomorrow. - Wow! Really?!
For most verbs, we use the auxiliary verb do in the response. However, for modal verbs (can, may, must, will, shall, should, would, could, might) and auxiliary verbs (have and be), we repeat the same verb.
- Horatio really likes my dog. - Does he?
- You should see a doctor about that. - Should I?
-Helena is a vampire. - She is?
- I can't ride a bike. - Can't you?
- They wouldn't be able to come. - They wouldn't?
Note: Be careful to distinguish between to have as a main verb and to have as an auxiliary verb:
- I have a great idea. - Do you?
- He has seen that movie five times. - Has he?
Exercise 1
Luna: I love looking at the stars.
Polly: you?
Polly: you?
Luna: I love looking at the stars.
Polly: Do you?
Polly: Do you?
Do: 'Do' is the proper choice to express surprise in this construction Note: it is also acceptable to invert the phrase ('You do?') to express the same sense of surprise or to ask for confirmation.
Did: Because Luna's original statement uses the present simple tense, we continue to use the same tense for future verbs until a new time frame is established. Using the past tense (preterit) auxiliary 'did' is grammatically incorrect here.
Don't: 'Don't' is incorrect. There is no need to use the negative form of the auxiliary in this construction. We must use the affirmative form of the verb here.
Doesn't: 'Doesn't' is incorrect. There is no need to use the negative form of the auxiliary in this construction. Also, the auxiliary precedes the singular subject 'you', and so we cannot use the third person form of the auxiliary 'doesn't'. We must use the affirmative, second person form of the auxiliary here.
Exercise 2
Philip: you see the suit Bruno was wearing yesterday? It was beautiful. Really suited his shoulders.
Kevin: I didn't see Bruno yesterday. I was watching the rugby. You like sports, you?
Philip: I like squash and wrestling. Basically I am a fan of any sport with balls or close physical contact.
Kevin: you? I tell.
Kevin: I didn't see Bruno yesterday. I was watching the rugby. You like sports, you?
Philip: I like squash and wrestling. Basically I am a fan of any sport with balls or close physical contact.
Kevin: you? I tell.
Philip: Did 1 you see the suit Bruno was wearing yesterday? It was beautiful. Really suited his shoulders.
Kevin: I didn't see Bruno yesterday. I was watching the rugby. You like sports, don't 2 you?
Philip: I like squash and wrestling. Basically I am a fan of any sport with balls or close physical contact.
Kevin: Are 3 you? I couldn't 4 tell.
Kevin: I didn't see Bruno yesterday. I was watching the rugby. You like sports, don't 2 you?
Philip: I like squash and wrestling. Basically I am a fan of any sport with balls or close physical contact.
Kevin: Are 3 you? I couldn't 4 tell.
1 Did: Because Philip is asking about 'yesterday', we use the past tense auxiliary 'did' to form the interrogative construction in the past tense.
1 Have: 'Have' does not agree with the past tense construction of the sentence. However, we might say 'have you seen the suit Bruno is wearing today?'.
1 Can: 'Can' does not agree with the past tense (preterit) construction of the sentence. The present tense auxiliary 'can' is generally used to ask questions about capacity (Can you tell me how to get to the market?) or permission (Can you help me with this report?).
1 Does: 'Does' is the correct verb, but does not agree with the past tense (preterit) construction of the sentence. Also, 'does' cannot be used with the second person subject 'you'. However, we might say 'Does he cook and clean?'.
2 don't: We must use the negative form of the auxiliary to express surprise in this type of construction. 'Don't you' asks a question which supposes a positive reply. Because the sentence is in the affirmative voice, we use the negative auxiliary 'don't' to properly complete the interrogative construction.
2 do: Because the construction of the phrase is affirmative, we cannot use the affirmative auxiliary 'do' to construct a response. To express surprise, we use the negative form of the auxiliary.
2 can: 'Can' is used either to ask permission, or to ask if someone is able to do something. It does not make sense to use it here.
2 will: The future auxiliary 'will' has no place in this construction. Using it here is grammatically incorrect.
3 Are: We use the affirmative construction 'are you' to formulate the question. This question is the reply to Philip's previous statement 'I am a fan of any sport...'. Because Philip uses the verb 'to be' in his statement, Kevin's reply uses the same verb to respond.
3 Aren't: There is no need to use the negative form of the auxiliary verb here. We use the negative auxiliary 'don't' when asking questions which suppose a positive reply. Example: You have a dog, don't you?
3 Is: 'Is' is grammatically incorrect. We must use a form of the auxiliary 'to be', however the subject 'you' requires the second person form of the verb (are).
3 Will: As an auxiliary, 'will' is used to ask someone to do something or to express the future tense. It has no place in this construction.
4 couldn't: 'I couldn't tell' is the correct way to form this sentence. Here it expresses Kevin's (ironic) incapacity to see that Philip appreciates certain sports. 'I couldn't tell' expresses that Kevin is already aware of Philip's affection for certain sports.
4 wouldn't: The auxiliary 'would' (and 'wouldn't') expresses a willingness or desire. It does not make sense here as this construction requires the term 'couldn't', which express 'incapacity'.
4 shouldn't: The auxiliary 'should' (and 'shouldn't') expresses this idea of obligation or near-necessity. It does not make sense here as this construction requires the term 'couldn't', which express 'incapacity'.
4 can't: 'Can't' is the contracted form of 'cannot'. Although using it here is not grammatically incorrect, it doesn't express the past tense sense of Kevin's statement.
Exercise 3
Bob: Hi, Susie. I had a pretty crazy weekend. I lost three hundred dollars in a card game.
Susie: ? That very smart. I didn't know you gambled.
Bob: No, ! My wife says that I .
Susie: But you just told me that you lost your money playing cards.
Bob: Yeah. Someone stole my wallet while I was playing 'solitaire' on my phone.
Susie: ? That very smart. I didn't know you gambled.
Bob: No, ! My wife says that I .
Susie: But you just told me that you lost your money playing cards.
Bob: Yeah. Someone stole my wallet while I was playing 'solitaire' on my phone.
Bob: Hi, Susie. I had a pretty crazy weekend. I lost three hundred dollars in a card game.
Susie: You did 1? That wasn't 2 very smart. I didn't know you gambled.
Bob: No, I don't 3! My wife says that I can't 4.
Susie: But you just told me that you lost your money playing cards.
Bob: Yeah. Someone stole my wallet while I was playing 'solitaire' on my phone.
Susie: You did 1? That wasn't 2 very smart. I didn't know you gambled.
Bob: No, I don't 3! My wife says that I can't 4.
Susie: But you just told me that you lost your money playing cards.
Bob: Yeah. Someone stole my wallet while I was playing 'solitaire' on my phone.
1 You did: This is the best choice here. The auxiliary of surprise is always formed with the subject of the former statement and the auxiliary conjugated in the simple past tense (you did). Because no auxiliary is specified in the original statement, we know that we must use 'do'. Example: -I gave all my money to that homeless woman. -You did?
1 You lost: When responding to a statement with an expression of surprise, we use an auxiliary, and not a regular verb, such as 'lost'.
1 You have: 'You have' is incorrect because 'have' is not used as an auxiliary in the original statement (I lost three hundred dollars), and when an auxiliary is not specified, we usually use 'do'.
1 You are: 'You are' is incorrect because 'are' is not used as an auxiliary in the original statement (I lost three hundred dollars), and when an auxiliary is not specified, we usually use 'do'.
2 wasn't: This is the best choice here. The sentence requires a conjugated form of the verb 'to be', in the negative. To form the contraction of 'was not', we remove the letter 'o' from 'not' and replace it with an apostrophe. Example: Pressing that red button wasn't the smartest thing to do.
2 can't: 'That can't very smart' is grammatically incorrect.
2 weren't: Because Susie uses the singular pronoun 'that', we cannot use the plural contraction 'weren't' as an auxiliary. 'That weren't' is grammatically incorrect. Example: "Those weren't the same cats as before".
2 shouldn't: 'That shouldn't be very smart' is grammatically incorrect.
3 I don't: This is the best choice here. 'Yes or No' responses often follow the format of 'subject' + 'auxiliary' (I + do, in this case), and we always use whichever auxiliary has been used in the previous question. If an auxiliary has not been used, we typically use 'do'. Example: -I didn't know you had blonde hair. -I don't!
3 I go not: When responding to simple 'yes or no' questions, we use an auxiliary, rather than the main verb (go).
3 Don't I: 'Don't I' is the inverted form, and is usually used to ask a question, not to respond to one.
3 Go not I: 'Go not I' is grammatically incorrect.
4 can't: This is the best choice here. 'Can' is used to express capability or permission. Bob is saying that his wife does 'not allow him' to go to the casino. Example: My stepmother says I can't go to the ball tonight.
4 am not: 'I am not' does not make sense here.
4 go not: 'Go not' is grammatically incorrect. Negation is formed with an auxiliary when using verbs such as 'go'.
4 am not can: 'Am not can' is grammatically incorrect. We cannot use two auxiliaries ('am' and 'can') in a construction like this.
Exercise 4
You are talking to a friend and you are very surprised by everything he says. Respond to all of his statements using the appropriate auxiliary construction.
For example:
Friend: I can talk to ghosts. | Your Response: You can?
Friend: I'm three-hundred-and-twelve years old. | Your Response: You are?
Friend: I started taking karate classes.
Your Response: ?
Friend: Yep, and I can already break a piece of wood in two.
Your Response: ?
Friend: I'm not lying! Yesterday I got my pilot's license. I flew to Australia and back.
Your Response: ?
Friend: I swear to God. By the way, it's time I told you the truth: I'm your real father.
Your Response: ?
For example:
Friend: I can talk to ghosts. | Your Response: You can?
Friend: I'm three-hundred-and-twelve years old. | Your Response: You are?
Friend: I started taking karate classes.
Your Response: ?
Friend: Yep, and I can already break a piece of wood in two.
Your Response: ?
Friend: I'm not lying! Yesterday I got my pilot's license. I flew to Australia and back.
Your Response: ?
Friend: I swear to God. By the way, it's time I told you the truth: I'm your real father.
Your Response: ?
You are talking to a friend and you are very surprised by everything he says. Respond to all of his statements using the appropriate auxiliary construction.
For example:
Friend: I can talk to ghosts. | Your Response: You can?
Friend: I'm three-hundred-and-twelve years old. | Your Response: You are?
Friend: I started taking karate classes.
Your Response: You did 1?
Friend: Yep, and I can already break a piece of wood in two.
Your Response: You can 2?
Friend: I'm not lying! Yesterday I got my pilot's license. I flew to Australia and back.
Your Response: You did 3?
Friend: I swear to God. By the way, it's time I told you the truth: I'm your real father.
Your Response: You are 4?
For example:
Friend: I can talk to ghosts. | Your Response: You can?
Friend: I'm three-hundred-and-twelve years old. | Your Response: You are?
Friend: I started taking karate classes.
Your Response: You did 1?
Friend: Yep, and I can already break a piece of wood in two.
Your Response: You can 2?
Friend: I'm not lying! Yesterday I got my pilot's license. I flew to Australia and back.
Your Response: You did 3?
Friend: I swear to God. By the way, it's time I told you the truth: I'm your real father.
Your Response: You are 4?
1 You did: The auxiliary of surprise is always formed with the subject of the former statement and the auxiliary conjugated in the appropriate tense. Here we use the past tense ('did') because your friend's statement refers to a past action. Because no auxiliary is specified in the original statement, we know that we must use 'do'.
2 You can: Because the auxiliary 'can' is used in the original statement (I can break a piece of wood), we know that we must use it in the response.
3 You did: Because no auxiliary is specified in the original statement, we know that we must use 'do', conjugated in the past simple tense 'did'.
4 You are: This is the best choice here. Because the auxiliary 'be' is used in the original statement (I am your father), we know that we must use it in the response.
Exercise 5
Monica: Thank you for calling Dave's Hardware. This is Monica, may I help you?
Ronald: Why yes, . I have a bit of a problem.
Monica: ?
Ronald: ! I accidentally glued my hand to a power drill*, and I really have to go to the bathroom, but I'm afraid.
Monica: Well, that definitely is a problem.
* A drill is a machine used to puncture holes
Ronald: Why yes, . I have a bit of a problem.
Monica: ?
Ronald: ! I accidentally glued my hand to a power drill*, and I really have to go to the bathroom, but I'm afraid.
Monica: Well, that definitely is a problem.
* A drill is a machine used to puncture holes
Monica: Thank you for calling Dave's Hardware. This is Monica, may I help you?
Ronald: Why yes, you may 1. I have a bit of a problem.
Monica: You do 2?
Ronald: I do 3! I accidentally glued my hand to a power drill*, and I really have to go to the bathroom, but I'm afraid.
Monica: Well, that definitely is a problem.
* A drill is a machine used to puncture holes
Ronald: Why yes, you may 1. I have a bit of a problem.
Monica: You do 2?
Ronald: I do 3! I accidentally glued my hand to a power drill*, and I really have to go to the bathroom, but I'm afraid.
Monica: Well, that definitely is a problem.
* A drill is a machine used to puncture holes
1 you may: This is the best choice here. 'Yes or No' responses often follow the format of 'subject' + 'auxiliary' (you + may, in this case), and we always use the auxiliary used in the original question. If an auxiliary has not been used, we typically use 'do'.
1 may you: 'May you' is the inverted form, which would be used to ask the question, not to respond to it.
1 do you: Because Monica used the auxiliary 'may', we must use it in the response.
1 you do: Because Monica used the auxiliary 'may', we must use it in the response.
2 You do: This is the best choice here. Monica is expressing her surprise that Ronald has a problem. In this case we use the construction for the auxiliary of surprise: subject + auxiliary (you do). Because there is not an auxiliary in the original statement (I have a problem), we must use 'do'.
2 You have: 'You have' is incorrect because 'have' is not used as an auxiliary in the original statement (I have a problem), but it is a regular verb.
2 You may: 'You may' is incorrect here because the auxiliary 'may' is not used in the original statement (I have a problem).
2 You are: 'You are' is incorrect here because the auxiliary 'be' is not used in the original statement (I have a problem).
3 I do: This is the best choice here. Ronald is simply responding to Monica's question 'You do?'. 'Yes or No' responses often follow the format of 'subject' + 'auxiliary' (I + do, in this case), and we always use whichever auxiliary has been used in the original question. If an auxiliary has not been used, we typically use 'do'.
3 I have: Because Monica uses the auxiliary 'do', we must use it in the response.
3 have I: 'Have I' is the inverted form, which would be used to ask the question, not to respond to it.
3 do I: 'Do I' is the inverted form, which would be used to ask the question, not to respond to it.
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