What Are Helping Verbs?
Helping verbs describe crucial details like time (tense), possibility (mood), or active or passive voice. Helping verbs do not usually stand alone without main verb— they help the main verb to make the meaning of the sentence complete.
Without helping verbs, many sentences that we talk daily would sound strange or be incomplete. They help us understand when something happens, how it happens, or even if it happens at all.
Let’s look at some examples:
- They are eating lunch.
- Workers have finished their work.
In the first sentence, “are” helps show that the action (eating) is happening right now. In the second sentence, “have” shows that the action (finished) was completed recently.
So, helping verbs are like assistants to the main verb — they make sentences complete and correct!
Helping Verbs List
As an English learner, it’s good to learn the most common helping verbs and how we can use them correctly. Here’s a simple list with short explanations:
1. Be Verbs
These verbs assist in showing tense, passive voice, or continuous (ongoing) actions:
• is, am, are, was, were, be, being, been
Examples:
• He is reading a book. (present continuous)
• The cake was baked by my sister. (passive voice)
2. Have Verbs
These verbs are used to show the perfect tenses, which talk about actions that are completed or connected to the present or past:
• have, has, had
Examples:
• We have finished my homework. (present perfect)
• The teacher had gone before I arrived. (past perfect)
3. Do Verbs
Most of these verbs are used in questions, negatives, and for emphasis:
• do, does, did
Examples:
• Do they like coffee? (question)
• He does not play tennis. (negative)
• They did finish my work! (emphasis)
4. Modal Verbs
These describe possibility, ability, permission, or necessity:
• can, could, will, would, shall, should, may, might, must
Examples:
• She must wear a seat belt. (necessity)
• Hamda can speak English. (ability)
• May I come in? (permission)
Learning these helping verbs will make our English clearer and more natural!
Helping verbs list- meaning and examples
- Is—Used for present continuous tense (action happening now).
Example: He is reading a lesson. - Am—Also for present continuous tense, used with I.
Example: I am learning English. - Are—present continuous with you, we, and they.
Example: Sara is watching TV. - Was—shows past continuous tense (action in the past).
Example: Osman was playing football. - Were—past continuous for you, we, and they.
Example: students were studying together. - Be / Being / Been—Used in passive voice and perfect tenses.
Example: The work is being done. - Have—Present perfect tense (completed action).
Example: They have gone already. - Has—Same use with he/she/it.
Example: Aisha has finished her homework. - Had—past perfect tense.
Example: He had left before I arrived. - Will—Future tense.
Example: I will call you next week. - Must—Shows necessity or strong advice.
Example: she must study harder. - Can—shows ability or permission.
Example: He can swim. - Should—for advice or suggestion.
Example: You should sleep early. - May—For polite permission.
Example: May I come in? - Might—shows possibility.
Example: It might rain today.
Helping Verb Examples in Sentences
Let’s look at some common examples of helping verbs in real sentences. These will help us to understand how they work with the main verb:
• She is cooking dinner now. (“is” helps the verb “cooking” to show present continuous tense)
• I have completed my homework. (“Have” helps the verb “completed” to show present perfect tense.)
• They were playing football yesterday. (“Were” helps the verb “playing” to show past continuous tense.)
• We will visit you tomorrow. (“will” helps the verb “visit” to show future tense)
• You must wear a seat belt. (“must” helps the verb “wear” to show necessity)
• He can speak three languages. (“can” helps the verb “speak” to show ability)
• You should drink more water. (“should” helps the verb “drink” to give advice)
• May I ask a question? (“may” asks for permission)
• She has been working all day. (“has been” shows present perfect continuous tense)
• The work is being done now. (“is being” forms passive voice)
As you can see, helping verbs are everywhere in English! They make sentences complete, express time and mood, and even add politeness.
Linking Verbs vs. Helping Verbs—Know the Difference
In English, some verbs look the same but do different jobs. That’s why many students confuse helping verbs and linking verbs. Let’s make it simple and easy.
Helping verbs
Helping verbs are used with action verbs to explain tense, mood, or voice. They “help” the main verb make sense in a sentence.
• Example 1: Sara is singing beautifully.
• Example 2: They have finished their work.
• Example 3: We will travel next month.
Helping verbs cannot stand alone—they always come before a main verb.
Linking Verbs
Linking verbs are used to connect the subject of a sentence to a word that expresses or identifies it. They don’t show action but simply link.
• Example 1: He is a teacher.
• Example 2: The soup smells delicious.
• Example 3: He became a doctor.
Common linking verbs are am, is, are, was, were, seem, become, appear, feel, and smell.
• If it comes with an action verb → It’s a helping verb.
• If it links the subject to a complement → It’s a Linking Verb.
Knowing the difference will help you write clear, correct sentences—just like a confident English speaker!
Helping Verbs: Common Mistakes to Avoid
❌ Wrong: He must to go now.
✅ Correct: He must go now.
❌ Wrong: She do plays tennis.
✅ Correct: She does play tennis.
❌ Wrong: They has arrived.
✅ Correct: They have arrived.
Tip: Always check subject-verb agreement and tense!
Helping Verbs Exercise
Fill in the blanks with the correct helping verb:
• I ___ going to the market.
• They ___ finished the project.
• She ___ play the guitar well.
• We ___ watching TV now.
• You ___ do your homework.
Answers:
• am
• have
• can
• are
• must
Correct the Mistake!
Find and correct the mistake in each sentence:
• He have done his work.
• They is playing football.
• She musts go now.
Answers:
• He has done his work.
• They are playing football.
• She must go now.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) on helping verbs
1. What is a helping verb?
A helping verb, or an auxiliary verb, is a verb that helps with a main verb to show tense, voice, mood, or possibility.
It “helps” the main verb describe action or meaning more clearly.
Example:
• She is singing.
(“is” helps “singing”—it “shows present continuous tense.)
2. What are 10 common examples of helping verbs?
Here are 10 examples of helping verbs commonly used in sentences:
• Am—I am working hard.
• Is—She is reading a book.
• Are—They are playing football.
• Was—He was cooking dinner.
• Were—We were talking yesterday.
• Have—I have finished my homework.
• Has—She has traveled a lot.
• Had—They had gone before we arrived.
• Will—I will call you later.
• Can—He can swim well.
3. What are the 23 helping verbs in English?
There are 23 main helping verbs in English. They are divided into three groups:
a) Be Verbs (8 verbs)
• Am
• Is
• Are
• Was
• Were
• Be
• Being
• Been
b) Have Verbs (3 verbs)
• Have
• Has
• Had
c) Do Verbs (3 verbs)
• Do
• Does
• Did
d) Modal Helping Verbs (9 verbs)
• Can
• Could
• May
• Might
• Will
• Would
• Shall
• Should
• Must
Q4: What’s the difference between helping verbs and linking verbs?
A4: Helping verbs assist the main verb; linking verbs connect the subject to extra information.
Conclusion
Helping verbs are the backbone of English sentences. They help you:
• Speak correctly in different tenses
• Form questions and negatives
• Show ability, possibility, necessity
By understanding and practicing helping verbs, you’ll speak and write English naturally.
Don’t forget to revise the lists, practice the exercises, and use them in real conversations.
Remember: Helping verbs may be small, but they do a BIG job!
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