Hakulinen was born in Helsinki in 1941. She went to the Munkkiniemi Secondary School.[2] Her father was Lauri Hakulinen, a researcher of Finnish.[3]
In 1999 she joined the Finnish academy of science.[4] Hakulinen was the head editor of the leading reference book on the grammar of Finnish, Iso suomen kielioppi. The main extent of her research has been in syntax and text linguistics. She had also introduced conversation analysis to Finland and has also had an interest in women's studies. Hakulinen has been a notable contribution to the development of Finnish linguistics.
Books
Auli Hakulinen; Jussi Ojanen (1993). Kielitieteen ja fonetiikan termistöä. Helsinki: Suomalaisen Kirjallisuuden Seura. ISBN951-717-783-6.
Auli Hakulinen; Fred Karlsson (1995). Nykysuomen lauseoppia. Helsinki: Suomalaisen Kirjallisuuden Seura. ISBN951-717-844-1.
Auli Hakulinen (2001). Lukemisto. Kirjoituksia kolmelta vuosikymmeneltä. Helsinki: Suomalaisen Kirjallisuuden Seura. ISBN951-746-199-2.