Introduction to Helping Verbs & Main Verbs

Think of verbs as the action words in a sentence. Sometimes, a verb needs a little helper to fully show what's happening, when it's happening, or how it's happening. These helpers are called Helping Verbs (or auxiliary verbs).

What are Helping Verbs?

Helping verbs are words that come *before* the main verb in a sentence. They don't show the main action themselves, but they add important details like:

  • Tense: When the action happened (e.g., *is* eating, *has* eaten, *will* eat).
  • Mood: The speaker's attitude (e.g., *might* eat, *should* eat, *must* eat).
  • Voice: Whether the subject performs or receives the action (e.g., *is* eaten - passive).

Helping Verb Categories:

There are two main types of helping verbs:

  1. Primary Helping Verbs: These are be, have, and do. They can also act as main verbs.
    Helping: She is *reading*. (is = helping, reading = main)
    Main: She is *happy*. (is = main verb)
  2. Modal Helping Verbs: These include can, could, may, might, must, shall, should, will, would. They *only* function as helping verbs and are always followed by the base form of another verb.
    Helping: He can *swim*. (can = helping, swim = main)
    Note: Modal verbs can *never* be main verbs.

Chapter 1: The 'Be' Family (Continuous Tenses & Passive Voice)

The 'be' family is all about actions that are in progress or showing who is doing/receiving the action (passive voice).

Forms of 'Be':

The verb 'be' has many forms: am, is, are, was, were, be, being, been.

Using 'Be' for Continuous Tenses (Actions in Progress):

We use a form of 'be' + the -ing form of the main verb to show actions that are ongoing at a certain time.

  • Present Continuous: Action happening now.
    Subject + am/is/are + -ing verb
    Example: She is studying. (Studying right now) Example: They are playing outside.
  • Past Continuous: Action ongoing at a specific time in the past.
    Subject + was/were + -ing verb
    Example: They were leaving when I arrived. (Leaving at that moment) Example: I was reading a book yesterday evening.
  • Future Continuous: Action that will be ongoing at a specific time in the future.
    Subject + will be + -ing verb
    Example: At 8 PM, I will be eating dinner. Example: He will be working all night.
  • Present Perfect Continuous: Action started in the past and still ongoing now, or just finished with visible results.
    Subject + has/have been + -ing verb
    Example: They have been waiting for an hour. (Still waiting) Example: She has been crying. (Just finished, evident from her eyes)
  • Past Perfect Continuous: Action ongoing for a period in the past, leading up to another past action.
    Subject + had been + -ing verb
    Example: She had been working all day before she went home. Example: I had been jogging for 30 minutes when it started to rain.
  • Future Perfect Continuous: Action will be ongoing for a period up to a specific future time.
    Subject + will have been + -ing verb
    Example: By next month, I will have been living here for five years. Example: He will have been practicing for hours by the time the concert starts.

Using 'Be' for Passive Voice:

The passive voice shows that the subject is receiving the action, rather than performing it. We use a form of 'be' + the past participle (V3) of the main verb.

  • Structure: Subject (receiving action) + form of 'be' + Past Participle (V3)
    Active: The boy kicked the ball. Passive: The ball was kicked by the boy.
  • Examples in different tenses:
    • Present Simple Passive: The door is opened.
    • Past Simple Passive: The car was repaired.
    • Future Simple Passive: The email will be sent.
    • Present Perfect Passive: The work has been completed.
    • Past Perfect Passive: The mistake had been made before he arrived.
    • Future Perfect Passive: The project will have been finished by July.
    • Present Continuous Passive: The house is being built.
    • Past Continuous Passive: The lunch was being prepared.

Chapter 2: The 'Have' Family (Perfect Tenses)

The 'have' family of helping verbs is used to form perfect tenses, which talk about actions completed before another point in time.

Forms of 'Have':

The verb 'have' has these forms: has, have, had.

Using 'Have' for Perfect Tenses:

We use a form of 'have' + the past participle (V3) of the main verb.

  • Present Perfect: Action completed at an unspecified time before now, or an action that started in the past and continues to the present.
    Subject + has/have + Past Participle (V3)
    Example: I have finished my homework. (Completed at some point before now) Example: She has lived here for ten years. (Started in the past, still living here)
  • Past Perfect: Action completed before another action or time in the past.
    Subject + had + Past Participle (V3)
    Example: He had arrived before the party started. (His arrival was before the party) Example: By 2010, I had visited three continents.
  • Future Perfect: Action that will be completed before a certain time in the future.
    Subject + will have + Past Participle (V3)
    Example: We will have completed the project by next week. Example: She will have graduated by June.

Chapter 3: The 'Do' Family (Questions, Negatives, Emphasis)

The 'do' family helps us make questions, negative sentences, and add emphasis in the simple present and simple past tenses. It's not used with 'be' verbs or modal verbs.

Forms of 'Do':

The verb 'do' has these forms: do, does, did.

Using 'Do' for Questions:

We place 'do', 'does', or 'did' at the beginning of a question.

  • Simple Present Questions:
    Do/Does + Subject + Base Verb?
    Example: Do you like it? Example: Does he play soccer?
  • Simple Past Questions:
    Did + Subject + Base Verb?
    Example: Did he come? Example: Did they finish the work?

Using 'Do' for Negatives:

We place 'do', 'does', or 'did' + 'not' before the base verb.

  • Simple Present Negatives:
    Subject + do/does not + Base Verb
    Example: I don't know. Example: She doesn't speak French.
  • Simple Past Negatives:
    Subject + did not + Base Verb
    Example: He didn't come. Example: They didn't understand.

Using 'Do' for Emphasis:

You can use 'do', 'does', or 'did' before the main verb to add extra emphasis to a statement.

  • Example: I do agree with you. (I really agree) Example: She does look beautiful today. (She really looks beautiful) Example: I did finish my homework! (I really did finish it)

Chapter 4: Modals (Adding Nuance - Ability, Possibility, Obligation, etc.)

Modal verbs are special helping verbs that change or add to the meaning of the main verb. They never change form (no -s, -ed, -ing) and are always followed by the base form of another verb.

Common Modals:

can, could, may, might, must, shall, should, will, would.

What Modals Express:

  • Ability:
    Can/Could (past ability)
    Example: She can swim. (Present ability) Example: He could run fast when he was young. (Past ability)
  • Possibility/Probability:
    May, Might, Could
    Example: It might rain later. (Small possibility) Example: She may be home now. (Medium possibility) Example: That could be true. (Slight possibility)
  • Obligation/Necessity:
    Must, Should (for weaker obligation/advice), have to (often acts like a modal)
    Example: You must finish this by tomorrow. (Strong obligation) Example: We should eat more vegetables. (Advice/Recommendation)
  • Permission:
    Can, Could, May
    Example: Can I go now? (Informal) Example: May I come in? (More formal)
  • Advice/Recommendation:
    Should
    Example: You should study for the exam.
  • Future Actions:
    Will, Shall (more formal, common in questions like 'Shall we go?')
    Example: I will help you. Example: We shall overcome.
  • Requests/Offers:
    Will, Would, Could, Can, May
    Example: Would you please close the door? (Polite request) Example: Can I help you? (Offer)
  • Logical Deduction/Certainty:
    Must
    Example: He must be tired after that long flight. (Strong certainty/deduction)

Chapter 5: Advanced Modal Structures & Hypotheticals

Helping verbs are crucial for expressing complex ideas, especially about past possibilities, regrets, and imagined situations.

Modals for Past Inferences/Regrets: (Modal + have + Past Participle V3)

These structures talk about what *might have*, *should have*, or *must have* happened in the past.

  • Must have V3: Strong deduction about something in the past (you're quite sure).
    Example: He didn't answer his phone. He must have forgotten it.
  • Could have V3: A past possibility or ability that was not realized (it *could* have happened, but it didn't).
    Example: She could have won the race, but she stumbled.
  • Should have V3: Expressing regret or criticism about a past action (something that would have been a good idea, but didn't happen).
    Example: You should have told me the truth. (But you didn't)
  • Might have V3: A less certain possibility in the past.
    Example: They might have left already. (Perhaps they left)

Conditionals & Wishes (Hypothetical Situations):

Helping verbs are essential for discussing imaginary or counterfactual situations.

  • Third Conditional: Talking about past actions that didn't happen and their imagined results.
    If + Subject + had V3, Subject + would have V3.
    Example: If I had known, I would have waited. (But I didn't know, so I didn't wait)
  • Inverted Conditionals (Formal): Sometimes, for formality, 'if' is omitted, and the auxiliary verb is inverted (put before the subject).
    Had I known, I would have waited. (Same as "If I had known...")
    Should you have questions, please ask. (Same as "If you have questions...")
    Were I you, I would accept. (Same as "If I were you...")
  • Wishes About the Past: Expressing regret about a past situation.
    I wish + Subject + had V3.
    Example: I wish I had seen that movie. (But I didn't see it)
  • Wishes About the Present/Hypothetical: Expressing a desire for a current situation to be different.
    I wish + Subject + were (for 'be' verbs) or past simple (for other verbs).
    Example: I wish I were taller. (But I'm not tall) Example: I wish I knew the answer. (But I don't know)

Subjunctive Mood (Formal Suggestions/Requirements):

This formal mood is used after verbs like 'suggest', 'recommend', 'demand', or phrases like 'it is essential/imperative that'. The verb following 'that' uses its base form (no 's' for third person singular, and 'be' for 'to be').

Example: I suggest that he be here. (Not 'is') Example: It's crucial that she submit the report. (Not 'submits') Example: The committee demanded that the rule be enforced.

Practice these patterns, and your English will shine!