Some auxiliary and defective verbs are now called modal verbs, as they used to express various mode of action of verbs. The manner of speaking and the intention (will/ ability/ obligation etc.) of the speaker are throughly expressed through such verbs.

The verbs like may, can, shall, will, need, dare, must, ought have not all the three forms; - present, past, past participle. They only have present and past forms; for this reason they are called defective verbs. Table 9.1 illustrates it.

Table 9.1 Auxiliary/ modal/defective verbs
Present	Past	Past Participle
May	might	-
Can	could	-
Shall	should	-
Will	would	-
Must	-	-

Be

Be have dual functions. It can do the function independently i.e as a principal verb and it can help other verbs to form tense. Different irregular forms of the verb be are be, am, is, are, was, were, being, been. Except be/ being/ been, they can act principal verb and as an auxiliary verb. For example:
I am very happy. Here `am' is principal verb.
I am going home. Here `am' is assisting the verb to `go' to form continuous tense. So it is performing the function of an auxiliary verb.

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