🔹 Introduction: Why Helping Verbs Matter
Have you ever tried to build a sentence but felt like something was missing? That “something” is often a helping verb. They may be small words, but they play a big role in making your sentences clear and meaningful.
Helping verbs are like silent partners—they support the main verb and help show when something happens, how it’s happening, or what might happen. Without them, it would be hard to ask questions, form negative sentences, or talk about different tenses like past, present, or future.
Imagine saying: “She going to school.” Something feels off, right? Now add a helping verb: “She is going to school.” Much better!
In short, helping verbs make your English smoother, smarter, and easier to understand. That’s why learning them is such an important step for any English learner.
🔹 What Are Helping Verbs?
Helping verbs, also known as auxiliary verbs, are words used before the main verb in a sentence to add extra meaning or clarify the action. They don’t work alone—they support the main verb and help us talk about time (tense), questions, negatives, and possibility.
Think of helping verbs as assistants. They don’t take the spotlight, but they make sure everything runs smoothly.
👉 For example:
She is reading a book.
The word “is” is helping the action word “reading” make sense in the present tense. Together, they indicate that the action is taking place at this very moment.
Without helping verbs, we couldn’t say things like:
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He has finished his work.
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Do you like pizza?
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They will travel tomorrow.
In all these examples, the helping verbs (has, do, will) help the main verbs make sense in the sentence.
In short, helping verbs are small but powerful—they help express when and how something happens.
Types of Helping Verbs (Simple & Easy Explanation)
Helping verbs come in two main types, and each type has its own special role in a sentence. Let’s understand them in the easiest way possible.
1. Primary Helping Verbs
These are the most common helping verbs. They’re like the basic tools in your grammar toolbox. What’s interesting is that they can be used on their own or with other verbs.
There are three groups of primary helping verbs:
🔹 Be Verbs — is, am, are, was, were, be, being, been
These verbs help show that something is happening, was happening, or will be happening.
Example:
She is watching a movie.
(“Is” helps indicate that the action is occurring at this moment.)
🔹 Have Verbs — has, have, had
These verbs help show that something is complete or already done.
Example:
They have finished their lunch.
(“Have” tells us the action is complete.)
🔹 Do Verbs — do, does, did
These verbs help form questions and negatives or just add a little emphasis.
Example:
Do you like pizza?
(“Do” helps form the question.)
2. Modal Helping Verbs
Modal verbs are like the voice of the sentence — they tell us how sure we are, what might happen, or what someone is allowed or supposed to do. These verbs always come before the main verb and never stand alone.
Here are the modal verbs: can, could, may, might, shall, should, will, would, must, ought to, dare, need, and used to.
Let’s break a few down with examples:
🔸 Can / Could → Indicate ability or potential.
She can dance really well. (ability)
It could rain later. (possibility)
🔸 May / Might → Show permission or possibility
You may leave early. (permission)
He might be late. (possibility)
🔸 Should / Must / Ought to → Suggest what is recommended or required.
You should drink more water.
We must follow the rules.
We ought to help the needy.
Easy Way to Remember
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Primary helping verbs help build tense or make questions/negatives.
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Modal helping verbs show how someone feels about an action — like whether it’s possible, necessary, allowed, or likely to happen.
Together, these helping verbs make English sentences clear, smooth, and meaningful.
✅ List of All 24 Helping Verbs
In English, there are 24 helping verbs that support the main verb and help us express time, possibility, questions, or negative meanings. These are divided into two main types:
🔹 1. Primary Helping Verbs (9 total)
These helping verbs can also work as main verbs in some sentences. They assist in creating questions, negative sentences, and various tenses.
Here are the 9 primary helping verbs:
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Be verbs include: is, am, are, was, were, be, being, and been.
👉 Example: She is writing a letter.
(“is” helps form the present continuous tense) -
Have verbs → has, have, had
👉 Example: They have finished lunch.
(“have” helps form the present perfect tense) -
Do verbs → do, does, did
👉 Example: Do you like mangoes?
(“do” is used to form a question)
🔹 2. Modal Helping Verbs (15 total)
Modal verbs stay the same regardless of the subject and are always used with the base form of the main verb. They show ideas like possibility, ability, permission, or necessity.
Here are the 15 modal helping verbs:
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can – She can dance well.
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could – He could come tomorrow.
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may – You may leave early.
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might – It might rain today.
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shall – We shall meet at 6.
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should – You should drink more water.
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will – I will call you soon.
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would – He would travel if he had time.
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must – You must wear a helmet.
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ought to – We should help those in need.
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need – You need not worry.
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dare – He dare not lie to her.
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used to – She used to play the piano.
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has to – He has to finish his work.
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have to – I have to go now.
📝 Note: Some lists include “has to” and “have to” as modal-like expressions because they show necessity, even though they are technically not traditional modals.
🧠 Quick Tip:
Think of helping verbs as little assistants that help the main verb sound more complete and clear. Without them, it would be harder to ask questions, talk about time, or express how sure we are about something.
📝 Practice Time: Exercises to Test Yourself
Let’s put your knowledge of helping verbs to the test! Try these short exercises to check your understanding.
👉 Fill in the blanks with the correct helping verb:
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She ___ going to the market.
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They ___ finished their homework already.
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___ you like some tea?
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I ___ not believe what I saw!
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He ___ be at the station by now.
check your answers
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is
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have
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Would
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could
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must
❓ FAQs on Helping Verbs
Q1: What’s the difference between a main verb and a helping verb?
A: A main verb shows the main action or state. A helping verb supports the main verb by adding meaning related to time, mood, or voice.
Q2: Are all helping verbs used the same way?
A: Not exactly. Primary helping verbs (like “is,” “have,” “do”) often change forms depending on the subject and tense, while modal verbs (like “can,” “will,” “should”) stay the same and are used to express possibility, ability, or obligation.
Q3: Can a sentence have more than one helping verb?
A: Yes! For example: She has been working all day. (Here, “has” and “been” are both helping verbs.)
Q4: Why are helping verbs important?
A: They help us form questions, negative sentences, and different tenses. Without them, many sentence forms wouldn’t be possible in English.
✅ Conclusion: Final Thoughts on Helping Verbs
Helping verbs may be small, but they are powerful tools in English grammar. They help us talk about the past, the future, questions, abilities, obligations, and so much more. Once you understand how they work, your sentences will become clearer and more expressive.
So keep practicing, try using different helping verbs in your daily writing or conversations, and soon you’ll feel more confident using them naturally.
Keep learning, and let your English skills shine! 🌟