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Helping Verbs
Helping Verbs
Helping Verbs
Helping verbs, otherwise known as auxiliary verbs, are those whose importance can be
underestimated easily. As the word itself signifies, they provide help to the sentence by
appearing before the action verbs and linking verbs. You need not get all worked-up with
the thought that you won't be able to grab the concepts. They are those words that we all
use but seldom notice. Putting it in simpler words, helping verbs are quite essential for
the grammatical correctness of a sentence. Helping verbs are often used in conjunction
with main verbs, to express shades of time and also to determine a particular mood.
They can even replace the main verb in the sentence and complete the sentence at the
same time. The beautiful combination of helping verbs with main verbs gives us the so-
called verb-string or verb-phrase. When the helping verbs complement the main verb
perfectly, the reader finds it convenient to get the clear picture of what the author is
trying to express. Such verbs also give a detailed idea of the tense being used in the
sentence. Though when used alone, they do not signify anything. Thus, in short,
auxiliary verbs help improve the quality and the meaning of a phrase or sentence to a
good extent.
Auxiliary Verbs
To be there for someone is indeed a blessing. ('be' as the main verb ) It is an honor for
me to be standing here with you. ('be' as a helping verb)
You were there for me always. ('were' as main verb) You were busy studying then. ('were'
as helping verb)
Where have you been? ('been' as main verb) I have been trying to call you. ('been' as
helping verb)
Have some food from the plate. ('have' as main verb) I have been talking to her about it.
('have' as helping verb)
Modal Helping Verbs
Modal helping verbs also tend to modify the tense as well as the meaning of the
sentence. Unlike the primary helping verbs, they cannot replace the main verb or, rather
they change the mood of the main verb. They are also called as modal auxiliaries. Modal
auxiliaries emphasize the main verb and express the need for an action in a sentence.
They express possibilities in a statement, necessities in a sentence and change the
main verb accordingly. These verbs cannot occur by themselves in a sentence, they
have to be accompanied by the main verb. They are basically ten in number. They are
listed as follows:
Can
Could
May
Might
Will
Would
Shall
Should
Must
Ought to
Some examples using modal helping verbs: