Basic Helping Verbs in English

Good day! In this complete tutorial for beginners, learners are going to learn what is a main verb and Basic Helping Verb in English. This lesson will discuss how to use helping verbs in English with examples to expound its meaning and uses. By the end of this lesson you will find the downloadable materials that will serve as your reference in future discussions. Now to start, let us know what are helping verbs and their examples.

Helping verbs (Auxiliary verbs) don’t have a specific definition. They “help” the main verb of the sentence.

In this lesson, you’ll learn the basic verbs “Do” “Be” and “Have” Helping verbs.

We use the helping verb “Do” to ask questions:

Helping verb Examples:

Do you like cake?

Does Joey have a pet?

Did you go to church?

Use “do” in the present tense with; I, we, you, they

Use “does” in the present tense with; she, he, it

Use “did” with all forms in the past.

Use “do” with question words:

Where do you work?

What time does the post office open?

Why did she go home early yesterday?

We also use “do” to form negative statements:

I don’t like cake.

Joey doesn’t have a pet.

We didn’t go to church.

Avoid this common error:

I no like cake. X

I not like cake. X

I don’t like cake. /

Helping verb: BE

Use “Be” to form continuous tenses with the -ing form of;

Present: am, is, are.

For example:

I’m studying French.

He’s playing computer games.

We’re watching movie now.

Past: Was / Were

Helping Verb Example:

He was sleeping while we were talking in the living room.

Future: Will Be

Tomorrow morning I’ll be travelling by bus in going to Laos.

Questions: Word order

Is he playing on the phone?

He is playing on the phone.

Were you having lunch?

We were having lunch.

Helping verb: Have

We use have to form Perfect tenses

Present perfect use have or has

Example:

I’ve finished my project.

She has just left for work.

Past perfect- use had

Example:

He said he had bought an iPhone.

John had walked the dog before he fell asleep.

Future Perfect – use Will Have

Example:

By this time tomorrow, I will have finished this project.

Questions: Word order

Example:

Have you finished the work?

I have finished the work.

Has she left the clinic?

She has left the clinic.

Had he bought the iPhone?

He had bought the iPhone.

Downloadable Material

Here’s the downloadable material of Tutorial on Basic Helping Verbs in English here.

For more readings

Irregular Verbs in English: Learn English Verbs

The difference between MUST and HAVE TO

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