Helping Verbs

Do you ever find it tricky to use main verbs and helping verbs correctly in sentences? In this article we will make it easier for you with examples and tips on using helping verbs correctly.

What Are Helping Verbs?

A helping verb is a verb that works with the main verb to show tense, voice, or mood. It supports the main verb in expressing the action of the subject. For example, in the sentence “She is running,” the helping verb “is” shows the present tense and helps convey the action of running.

Definition of a Helping Verb

A helping verb is “a verb (as am, may, or will) that is used with another verb to express person, number, mood, or tense”, according to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary.

How to Use Helping Verbs with examples?

To effectively use helping verbs, understand how they change for different tenses, moods, or voices. Look at these examples to learn.

Expressing Present Actions:

• “I am going to speak at the inaugural ceremony tomorrow.”
• “We are having spaghetti for dinner tonight.”

Seeking Information:

• “What are you doing?”
• “Do you need any help?”

Showing Continuous Actions:

• “The children have been waiting to have ice cream.”

Indicating Past Events:

• “I did have an imaginary friend.”
• “The Pavilion Apartments was built by M & M Builders.”

Talking About Future Plans:

• “Tony will take care of the students.”

Expressing Prohibitions or Limitations:

• “You cannot change your parents.”

Asking Questions:

• “Were you feeling nervous when you were giving a presentation?”

Also Check
Main Verb	Transitive and Intransitive Verbs
Regular Verbs	Irregular Verbs
Finite Verbs	Non Finite Verbs
Linking Verbs	Stative Verbs
Action Verbs	Verb Form
Verb	Auxiliary Verbs
Modal Verbs	Phrasal Verbs

List of Helping Verbs of All Tenses

Here are some everyday helping verbs you’ll often encounter:

• am, is, are, was, were
• have, has, had
• do, does, did
• will, would, shall, should
• can, could, may, might, must

Tense	Examples	Helping Verb
Present Continuous	Monica is making lasagna.	Is
Present Perfect	She has spoken to the Dean about it already.	Has
Present Perfect Continuous	Chandler has been smoking for an hour.	Has been
Past Continuous	Rachel was working at the cafe.	Was
Past Perfect	Ross had not worked at the museum for ten years.	Has not
Past Perfect Continuous	My friends had been wanting to come home for a while now.	Had been
Future Continuous	Phoebe will be playing the guitar at the party tomorrow.	Will be
Future Perfect	The plumber will have fixed all the pipelines in two days.	Will have
Future Perfect Continuous	The waitress will have been serving dinner for fifty people at this time tomorrow.	Will have been

Importance of Helping Verbs

Here are the importance of helping verbs:

1. Conveying Verb Tenses:

• Helping verbs aid in expressing different verb tenses, indicating when an action occurred.
• Examples include “am,” “is,” “are” for present tense, “was,” “were” for past tense, and “will,” “shall” for future tense.
• Clear understanding of verb tenses helps in effective storytelling and communication.

2. Expressing Continuous Actions:

• Helping verbs such as “is,” “are,” “was,” “were” are used to indicate ongoing or continuous actions.
• They help in painting a vivid picture of actions that are happening over a period.
• Example: “She is studying” conveys ongoing action in the present.

3. Showing Completion of Actions:

• Auxiliary verbs like “has,” “have,” “had” signify the completion of an action.
• They indicate that an action has occurred before a specific point in time.
• Example: “They have finished their homework” denotes completion in the present.

4. Expressing Future Plans and Predictions:

• Helping verbs such as “will,” “shall,” “going to” help in discussing future events and intentions.
• They assist in making plans and predictions about what will happen.
• Example: “I will visit my grandmother tomorrow” expresses a future plan.

5. Seeking Information and Asking Questions:

• Auxiliary verbs like “do,” “does,” “did” are used to form questions and seek information.
• They facilitate effective communication by enabling inquiries.
• Example: “Do you like ice cream?” invites a response from the listener.

6. Indicating Permission, Ability, and Obligation:

• Helping verbs such as “can,” “could,” “may,” “might,” “must” convey permission, ability, and obligation.
• They clarify what someone can, may, or must do in a given situation.
• Example: “You must finish your homework before watching TV” indicates obligation.

7. Enhancing Clarity and Precision:

• Proper use of helping verbs ensures clarity and precision in communication.
• They help in avoiding ambiguity and misunderstanding in sentences.
• Example: “He will have completed the project” is clearer than “He completed the project.”

8. Forming Passive Voice:

• Auxiliary verbs like “is,” “are,” “was,” “were,” “has been,” “have been,” “had been” are used to form passive voice sentences.
• They shift the focus from the subject performing the action to the action itself.
• Example: “The book was written by Jane” (passive voice) instead of “Jane wrote the book” (active voice).

Check Your Understanding of Helping Verbs

Let’s do a quick check to see how well you understand helping verbs:

1. We _____ been waiting for our holidays for over a week.
2. I ______ meet my sister soon.
3. We ______ going to buy more clothes.
4. I just ________ stand your sisters.
5. She _______ working as a teacher for five months now.
6. They ______ be reaching Goa by 10 p.m.
7. _____ you still staying near that mall?
8. The flight ___________ arrived at the airport by 1 p.m. today.
9. You ________ looking very beautiful.
10. The Prime Minister ______ giving the presidential address for the Independence day ceremony.

Check how far you have understood the concept of using helping verbs.

1. We have been waiting for our holidays for over a week.
2. I will meet my sister soon.
3. We are going to buy more clothes.
4. I just cannot stand your sisters.
5. She has been working as a teacher for five months now.
6. They will be reaching Goa by 10 p.m.
7. Are you still staying near that mall?
8. The flight will have arrived at the airport by 1 p.m. today.
9. You are looking very beautiful.
10. The Prime Minister will be giving the presidential address for the Independence day ceremony.

Helping Verb FAQs

What are helping verbs?

Helping verbs, also known as auxiliary verbs, are verbs that work alongside the main verb in a sentence to express tense, mood, or voice. They support the main verb in conveying the full meaning of the action.

Why are helping verbs important?

Helping verbs play a crucial role in expressing different verb tenses, continuous actions, completion of actions, future plans, seeking information, indicating permission or obligation, and forming passive voice sentences. They help in clear and effective communication.

Can you give examples of helping verbs?

Sure! Some examples of helping verbs include: am, is, are, was, were, have, has, had, do, does, did, will, would, shall, should, can, could, may, might, must.

How do helping verbs help in forming sentences?

Helping verbs assist the main verb in expressing various aspects such as time (present, past, future), ongoing actions, completion of actions, permissions, obligations, and forming questions or passive voice sentences.