What are Helping Verbs? Definition, Types, and Examples

You're building a sentence and you have the main action, like "run" or "jump," but sometimes you need a little extra help to make your point clear. That's where helping verbs come in. 

Helping verbs, also called auxiliary verbs, team up with main verbs to show when something happens, how it happens, or who's doing it. Common helping verbs include 'to be,' 'to have,' and 'to do,' among others.

Helping Verbs Definition

"Helping verbs, also known as auxiliary verbs, are verbs that precede and modify the main verb in a sentence. They help to express the tense, mood, or voice of the main verb."

Let's break it down with simple helping verbs examples.

Imagine you say, "She is singing." In this sentence, "is" is the helping verb. It helps us understand that singing is happening right now. Without "is," the sentence would just be "She singing," which doesn't sound quite right, does it?

Helping verbs can also tell us about the past or future. 

For instance, "They have finished their homework" uses "have" to show that the action of finishing happened before now. And when we say "You will succeed," "will" tells us that success is going to happen later.

Helping Verbs Examples

Here are some helping verbs examples used in sentences:

• "She is reading a book."
• "They have finished their homework."
• "He will come to the party."
• "We should go to the park."
• "You can do it!"
• "I must finish this assignment."

Helping Verbs List

Here is the list that includes common helping verbs used in English grammar.

• am
• is
• are
• was
• were
• be
• being
• been
• have
• has
• had
• do
• does
• did
• can
• could
• may
• might
• must
• shall
• should
• will
• would
• ought to
• used to
• need
• dare

Types of Helping Verbs

Helping verbs, also known as auxiliary verbs, are classified into different types based on their function and usage:

Primary Helping Verbs

Primary helping verbs are essential in forming verb phrases and modifying the main verb to express tense, mood, or voice in a sentence. 

They include:

• To be: The verb "to be" is versatile and is used in various forms to indicate different tenses and states of being:
  • Present tense: am, is, are
  • Past tense: was, were
  • Continuous tense: being
  • Perfect tense: been

• To have: The verb "to have" indicates possession or ownership and is also used to form perfect tenses:
  • Present tense: have, has
  • Past tense: had
  • Perfect tense: have, has, had

• To do: The verb "to do" is used in various ways, including forming questions, negations, and emphasizing actions:
  • Present tense: do, does
  • Past tense: did

Modal Helping Verbs

Modal auxiliary verbs express possibility, necessity, permission, or ability in combination with the main verb. 

They include:

• can: indicates ability or possibility
• could: indicates past ability or possibility
• may: indicates possibility or permission
• might: indicates possibility or uncertainty
• must: indicates necessity or obligation
• shall: indicates future intention or suggestion (often used in formal or legal contexts)
• should: indicates advice, expectation, or obligation
• will: indicates future intention or prediction
• would: indicates hypothetical situations or polite requests

Other Helping Verbs

• ought to: Indicates duty, advisability, or expectation.
• used to: Indicates past habits or states that are no longer true.
• need: Indicates necessity or obligation.
• dare: Used in questions and negative statements, indicating challenge or invitation.

Helping Verbs Usage - Rules and Best Practices

Helping verbs, also known as auxiliary verbs, play a crucial role in English grammar. Here are some rules and best practices for using helping verbs effectively in sentences:

Verb Phrases Formation

Helping verbs are used to form verb phrases with main verbs to express various tenses and meanings.

• Example: She is running every morning. ("is" is the helping verb, and "running" is the main verb.)

Tense and Aspect

Helping verbs help indicate the tense (present, past, future) and aspect (progressive, perfect) of the main verb.

• Example: They have finished their work. ("have" is the helping verb indicating the perfect aspect.)

Question Formation

Helping verbs are used to form questions by inverting the subject and helping verb.

• Example: Do you like pizza? ("Do" is the helping verb used to form the question.)

Negation

Helping verbs are used to form negative sentences by adding "not" after the helping verb.

• Example: She does not want to go. ("does" is the helping verb indicating negation.)

Modal Verbs for Modality

Modal helping verbs express modality, including possibility, necessity, permission, and ability.

• Example: You can swim. ("can" is the modal helping verb indicating ability.)

No Infinitive or -ing Form

Helping verbs do not have infinitive or -ing forms. Only the main verb in the verb phrase has these forms.

• Example: He likes to play guitar. ("to play" is the infinitive form of the main verb.)

Emphasis and Intensity

Helping verbs can be used to emphasize or intensify the action of the main verb.

• Example: She does love to read. ("does" emphasizes the action of loving.)

Linking Vs Helping Verbs

While both verbs serve crucial roles in sentence structure, understanding the difference between helping and linking verbs is essential as they function differently in conveying meaning.

Helping Verb vs. Action Verb

Let’s take a look at the main differences in function, expression of action, examples, usage, and infinitive form between helping verbs and action verbs.

Helping Verbs Worksheet

In summary, understanding the role and function of helping verbs is crucial for anyone aiming to master English grammar. 

By understanding how helping verbs assist main verbs in conveying meaning, you can create more articulate sentences. 

Using our grammar checker tool further enhances your ability to refine and perfect your writing, ensuring clarity and correctness in every sentence.

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