Helping Verbs

(Auxiliary Verbs)

Helping verbs are verbs that are used with a main verb in a sentence to express an action or state of being.

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Helping verbs are also known as auxiliary verbs.

A verb is a word that shows an action or state of being.

Examples of verbs:

• The horse jumped.
  
  
• Richard and Mike are laughing.
  
  
• Sarah likes to help in the kitchen.
  
  
• The ball bounces high.

Helping verbs are verbs that are usually used WITH a main verb in a sentence to express an action or state.



There are two types of helping verbs: primary helping verbs and modal helping verbs.

Primary helping verbs

Primary helping verbs are helping verbs that can also be used alone as the main verb in a sentence.

A) The "to be" verbs

The "to be" verbs show a state of being.

These are the different forms of the "to be" verbs:

• be
• being
• been
• was
• were
• am
• is
• are

Examples of "be" verbs as helping verbs:

• Tom will be eating at our house tonight.
  
  
• I have been calling you all night!
  
  
• I was talking to her.
  
  
• She is baking cookies.
  
  
• Fred and Lisa are walking to the park.

Examples of "be" verbs as main verbs:

• She will be here at 5:00.
  
  
• Mike was there.
  
  
• Tim and Sally were at the game.
  
  
• I am at school.
  
  
• Where are you?

B) The "do" verbs

These are the different forms of "do":

• do
• does
• did

The "do" verbs have a variety of uses.

• As main verbs when asking questions
  
  Do you like carrots?
  
  Did you do your chores?
  
  
• As helping verbs to make a negative
  
  He does not want to go today.
  
  She did not finish her supper.
  
  
• As helping verbs to emphasize
  
  Tom and Bob did complete all of their homework.
  
  Bill does love you!
  

C) The "have" verbs

These are the different forms of "have":

• have
• has
• had

The "have" verbs are used as helping verbs to show an action that has already been completed.

The "have" verbs can also be used alone as main verbs.

Modal helping verbs

Modal helping verbs can never be used alone in a sentence. 

Modal helping verbs must always be used with a main verb.

These are the different forms of modal helping verbs:

• may, might, must
  
  
• should, would, could
  
  
• will, can, shall

Examples of modal helping verbs in sentences:

modal helping verb + main verb

• Correct:
  
  Erica might walk home from school today.
  
  
• Incorrect:
  
  Erica might home from school today.
  
  There is no main verb (action) in this sentence.
  
  
• Correct:
  
  I could buy you a new bike.
  
  
• Incorrect:
  
  I could you a new bike.
  
  There is no main verb (action) in this sentence.
  
  
• Correct:
  
  We will learn about verbs today.
  
  
• Incorrect:
  
  We will about verbs today.
  
  There is no main verb (action) in this sentence.
  
  
  
  

To learn more about modal verbs, visit English Modal Verbs.

Notes:

You do not have to use a helping verb in every sentence.


You MUST use a main verb in every sentence.


These were the uses of helping verbs. Now that you know them, it is time to practice: Illustrated Worksheet on English Helping Verbs.

 

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