Identify main verbs and helping verbs

Key Notes

Main Verbs

Definition: Main verbs express the primary action or state of being in a sentence. They show what the subject is doing or what is happening to the subject.

Examples:

Action Verbs: run, jump, write, eat

• Example Sentence: She runs every morning.

State of Being Verbs: is, am, are, was, were

• Example Sentence: The cake is delicious.

Identification:

• Look for the word that conveys the main action or state in the sentence.
• The main verb can be a single word or a verb phrase.

Helping Verbs (Auxiliary Verbs)

Definition: Helping verbs assist the main verb in a sentence to form different tenses, moods, or voices. They provide additional information about the action.

Common Helping Verbs:

• Forms of “To Be”: is, am, are, was, were
• Forms of “To Have”: has, have, had
• Forms of “To Do”: does, do, did

Modals: can, could, will, would, shall, should, may, might, must

Examples:

In Questions:

• Example Sentence: Did you write the letter?

In Negative Sentences:

• Example Sentence: She does not like broccoli.

In Progressive Tenses:

• Example Sentence: They are playing soccer.

Identification:

• Helping verbs come before the main verb in a sentence.
• They work together with the main verb to create a verb phrase.

Verb Phrases

Definition: A verb phrase consists of one main verb and one or more helping verbs.

Examples:

• She has been reading a book.
• Verb Phrase: has been reading (with “has” and “been” as helping verbs and “reading” as the main verb).
• He will finish his homework soon.
• Verb Phrase: will finish (with “will” as the helping verb and “finish” as the main verb).

Let’s practice!