24 Helping Verbs: Definition, Chart, and Examples for Better Grammar

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Introduction

Helping verbs might not seem like a big deal, but they play a huge role in English grammar. Without them, we wouldn’t be able to form questions, negative sentences, or even express different tenses properly.

Think about sentences like:

  • She is singing.
  • They have finished their work.
  • Do you like ice cream?

In each of these, the words is, have, and do are helping verbs. They don’t have much meaning on their own, but they help the main verb to complete the sentence.

In this blog, we’ll break down all 24 helping verbs, explain their uses with simple examples, and give you a handy chart to make learning easy. Let’s get started!

Types of Helping Verbs

Helping verbs are divided into two main types: Primary Helping Verbs and Modal Helping Verbs. Each type plays a different role in sentence formation. Let’s break them down in a simple way.

1. Primary Helping Verbs

These verbs not only help the main verb but can also act as main verbs themselves. There are three main groups under this category:

  • Be Verbs – is, am, are, was, were, be, being, been

    • Example: She is reading a book.
    • Here, is helps the verb reading to form the present continuous tense.

  • Have Verbs – has, have, had

    • Example: They have completed the project.
    • Have helps in forming the present perfect tense.

  • Do Verbs – do, does, did

    • Example: Do you like coffee?
    • Do is used to form a question and emphasize the main verb.

2. Modal Helping Verbs

Modal verbs express possibility, ability, necessity, or permission. They always work with a main verb and never stand alone. Here are the 13 modal verbs:

  • can, could, may, might, shall, should, will, would, must, ought to, dare, need, used to

  • Example: She can swim very well.

    • Can shows ability.

  • Example: You must complete your homework.

    • Must expresses necessity.

Primary helping verbs change form depending on tense and subject, but modal verbs stay the same no matter the subject.

helping verbs

Helping Verbs Chart 

To make things simple, let’s list all 24 helping verbs in a structured way. We’ll break them down into Primary Helping Verbs and Modal Helping Verbs so you can easily understand their roles.

1. Primary Helping Verbs (Total: 9)

These verbs help in forming different tenses, negatives, and questions. They also act as main verbs in some cases.

  • Be Verbs: is, am, are, was, were, be, being, been
    • Example: She is going to the market.
  • Have Verbs: has, have, had
    • Example: I have seen this movie before.
  • Do Verbs: do, does, did
    • Example: He does not like spicy food.

2. Modal Helping Verbs (Total: 13)

These verbs modify the main verb by showing ability, possibility, necessity, or permission.

  • can, could (ability) – She can play the piano.
  • may, might (possibility) – It might snow tomorrow.
  • shall, should (advice/necessity) – You should eat healthy food.
  • will, would (future/conditional) – I will call you later.
  • must (necessity) – You must wear a seatbelt.
  • ought to (moral duty) – We ought to respect our elders.
  • dare, need (necessity/challenge) – He dare not disobey the rules.
  • used to (past habit) – She used to live in London.

Helping Verbs: Definitions and Examples

Now that we know the types of helping verbs, let’s dive deeper into their meanings with easy-to-understand definitions and examples.

1. Primary Helping Verbs

These verbs help form different tenses, negatives, and questions. They can also act as main verbs in some cases.

(a) Be Verbs: is, am, are, was, were, be, being, been

Definition: “Be” verbs show a state of being and are used to form continuous tenses and the passive voice.

Examples:

  • She is studying for her exam. (Present continuous)
  • They were invited to the party. (Passive voice)

(b) Have Verbs: has, have, had

Definition: “Have” verbs show possession and help form perfect tenses.

Examples:

  • I have completed my homework. (Present perfect)
  • She had already left before I arrived. (Past perfect)

(c) Do Verbs: do, does, did

Definition: “Do” verbs help make questions, negatives, and add emphasis in a sentence.

Examples:

  • He does not like coffee. (Negative sentence)
  • Did you complete your project? (Question)

2. Modal Helping Verbs

These verbs modify the meaning of the main verb by expressing ability, possibility, necessity, or permission.

(a) Can / Could (Ability & Possibility)

  • She can swim very fast. (Ability)
  • It could rain later today. (Possibility)

(b) May / Might (Permission & Possibility)

  • You may leave early today. (Permission)
  • He might come to the party. (Possibility)

(c) Shall / Should (Future & Advice)

  • We shall meet at 6 PM. (Future intention)
  • You should eat more vegetables. (Advice)

(d) Will / Would (Future & Hypothetical Situations)

  • She will call you later. (Future)
  • I would travel more if I had time. (Hypothetical)

(e) Must (Necessity & Strong Obligation)

  • You must wear a seatbelt. (Strong necessity)
  • She must be tired after a long day. (Strong assumption)

(f) Ought to (Moral Duty & Obligation)

  • We ought to respect our teachers. (Moral duty)

(g) Dare / Need (Necessity & Challenge)

  • He dare not speak against his boss. (Challenge)
  • You need not worry about it. (Necessity)

(h) Used to (Past Habit)

  • She used to play basketball in college. (Past habit)

Practice Exercises: Mastering Helping Verbs

Now that you understand helping verbs, it’s time to test your knowledge with some fun and simple exercises! Try these and check your answers at the end.

Exercise 1: Fill in the Blanks

Choose the correct helping verb to complete each sentence.

  1. She ___ reading a book. (is / has)
  2. They ___ finished their homework. (have / do)
  3. I ___ not like spicy food. (does / do)
  4. We ___ going to the park later. (are / was)
  5. He ___ completed his project on time. (has / is)
  6. You ___ leave early today if you want. (may / must)
  7. It ___ rain tomorrow. (can / might)
  8. She ___ to wake up early for work. (ought / shall)
  9. We ___ playing football when it started raining. (were / had)
  10. He ___ try harder if he wants to succeed. (should / does)

Exercise 2: Identify the Helping Verb

Look at the sentences below and underline the helping verb.

  1. She is writing an essay.
  2. They have gone to the market.
  3. Do you like chocolate?
  4. We will visit grandma this weekend.
  5. He must complete his work before leaving.
  6. She has been waiting for an hour.
  7. Can you help me with this?
  8. The cake was baked by my mom.
  9. I should call him later.
  10. You might enjoy this movie.

Exercise 3: Correct the Sentences

Some of these sentences have incorrect helping verbs. Fix them!

  1. He do like pizza.
  2. She have completed her work.
  3. We was playing outside.
  4. They has gone to school.
  5. It can raining later.
  6. I must to leave now.
  7. You should studies harder.
  8. We didn’t went to the party.
  9. She was cook dinner when I arrived.
  10. He might to be late.

Answers

Exercise 1: Fill in the Blanks (Correct Answers)

  1. is
  2. have
  3. do
  4. are
  5. has
  6. may
  7. might
  8. ought
  9. were
  10. should

Exercise 2: Identify the Helping Verb (Underlined Words)

  1. She is writing an essay.
  2. They have gone to the market.
  3. Do you like chocolate?
  4. We will visit grandma this weekend.
  5. He must complete his work before leaving.
  6. She has been waiting for an hour.
  7. Can you help me with this?
  8. The cake was baked by my mom.
  9. I should call him later.
  10. You might enjoy this movie.

Exercise 3: Corrected Sentences

  1. He does like pizza.
  2. She has completed her work.
  3. We were playing outside.
  4. They have gone to school.
  5. It might rain later.
  6. I must leave now.
  7. You should study harder.
  8. We didn’t go to the party.
  9. She was cooking dinner when I arrived.
  10. He might be late.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) About Helping Verbs

1. What is a helping verb?

A helping verb (also called an auxiliary verb) is a verb that supports the main verb in a sentence. It helps form different tenses, negatives, and questions. Examples include is, have, do, will, can, must, should, etc.

2. How many helping verbs are there in English?

There are 24 helping verbs in English. They are divided into three types: primary helping verbs (be, have, do), modal verbs (can, could, will, would, shall, should, etc.), and semi-modals (need to, ought to, used to, etc.).

3. What is the difference between a helping verb and a main verb?

A main verb tells the main action or state in a sentence, while a helping verb supports it by changing the tense, voice, or mood. Example:

  • She writes a book. (Main verb: writes)
  • She is writing a book. (Helping verb is + Main verb writing)
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