Verbs : Helping Verbs for Class 3 English

Helping verbs add information to the main verb and are required to complete the structure of a sentence. In this concept students will be able to learn the definition, examples and difference between helping verb and main verb.

In this concept the students will learn to:

• Give the helping verbs list with examples.
• Form helping verbs like ‘to do’, ‘to be’ and ‘to have’.
• List the types of auxiliary verbs or helping verbs

This concept for class 3 explains the topic using mind maps, illustrations and examples. Students can test their understanding by trying to solve helping verbs exercises given at the end of the page. These helping verbs worksheet and their solutions that have been provided in the PDF format.

Definition

• A helping verb is a verb that is used with a main verb. It helps the main verb to show the actions of the subject.
• A helping verb is always placed before the main verb.
• It is also called auxiliary verbs. The main verb is supported by a helping verb.
• Auxiliary verbs help to express the main verb's mood, voice or tense.
• Auxiliary verbs can also function as a main verb. They can work alone or as part of a sentence.
• The main helping verbs are to be, to have, and to do.
• These verbs allow us to form various tenses, voices and moods.

Examples:

Helping Verbs and its Forms

Helping verbs have three forms that help the main verb to form questions or to make the verb tense clear.

1. To Be: is, am, are, were, was, been, being, will be

Present	Simple Past	Past Participle
am, is, are	were, was	been

 

      ii. To Do: do, does, did, will do

Present	Simple Past	Past Participle
do, does	did	done

      iii. To Have: have, has, had, will have, having.

 

Present	Simple Past	Past Participle
have, has	had	had

Examples:

1. He was waiting for hours.
2. He is waiting inside.
3. He will be coming.
4. Did you lose?
5. Don't forget your mobile phone.
6. He had been preparing for it.
7. I have been working for long.
8. I will have to answer it.

Types of Auxiliary or Helping verbs

There are two types of helping verbs. They are mentioned below:

Common Mistakes

1. When using a main verb with -ing, a helping verb must be used. It can’t be the only verb in a sentence.

        Examples:

        You are making me mad.✅

        You making me mad.❌

      2. Auxiliary ‘do’ must be used with simple verbs in questions. ‘Are’ must be used for nouns                and adjectives.

          Examples:

          Do you study here?✅

          Are you study here?❌

       3. A helping verb usually comes before the main verb. It should not come after the main                   verb.

          Examples:

       4. I am baking a cake.

Exceptions

Usually positive sentences in the simple present tense don’t use a helping verb. However, it does have an exception when using the auxiliary ‘do’.

Examples:

1. Sentence pair 1:
• I agree with her. (positive sentence)
• I do agree with her. (usage of auxiliary do)
2. Sentence pair 2:
• I respect her. (positive sentence)
• I do respect her. (usage of auxiliary do)
3. Sentence pair 3:
• He really wants to visit us.
• He does want to visit us.

Please note that after using ‘do’ and its forms, the verb does not end with the letter ‘s’.