40+ Helping Verb Examples (Explained for Beginner’s)

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Helping (auxiliary) verbs are used to modify the mood, tense, or voice of the main verb, providing additional meaning. Primary examples include “be” (am, is, are, was, were), “have” (have, has, had), and “do” (do, does, did). Modal helping verbs (can, could, shall, should, will, would, may, might, must) indicate possibility, permission, or obligation. These verbs are critical in forming compound verb structures, such as progressive (“is running”) and perfect tenses (“has eaten”).

This article will introduce you to some helping verb examples.

Helping verbs are verbs which we use in a sentence to help the main verb to give different shades of meaning, tense, mood, etc.

The most commonly used helping verbs are : Is,are,am,was,were,be,being,been,has,had,have,do,does,did,shall,should,may,must,might,can and could . 

Let us look at some helping verb examples.

helping verb examples
Helping verbs

Helping verb examples are explained in detail below.

1. Thomas is playing .

    Here “is” is the helping verb and play is the main verb.

2. Anna can write a novel.

   Here “can” is the helping verb and write is the main verb.

3. John will win the match.

   Here “will” is the helping verb and win is the main verb.

4. He shall help her.

    Here “shall” is the helping verb and help is the main verb.

5. They might come with their parents.

     Here “might” is the helping verb and come is  the main verb.

6. I was running the whole day.

     Here “was” is the helping verb and run is the main verb.

7. I have cleaned the room

     Here the main verb is clean and the helping verb is “have” which is used to express the tense.

8. We had played well in the rugby tournament held in Kashmir.

     Here the main verb is play and the helping verb is “had” which is used to indicate the tense.

9. Roy has performed well in the competition.

      Here “has” is the helping verb used to express the tense of the  main verb perform .

10 .Bob has worked on that project.

     Here “has” is used as a helping verb and it indicates present perfect tense.

11 .Helen had participated in the rugby tournament.

     Here “had” is the helping verb which helps to express past perfect tense.

12.Helen will have participated.

       Here the helping verb “have” is used with another helping verb “will” to indicate future perfect tense.

13. The players are training hard for the upcoming tournament.

    Here “are” is the helping verb used to express present tense and to give continuity to the main verb training.

14. Radha is sleeping.

   Here “is” is the helping verb used to give continuity to the main verb sleep.

15. I am happy to see you in good health.

     Here the helping verb is “am” which modifies the feeling happy.

16. David will come to the party.

     Here “will” is the helping verb used to express future tense .

17. She can lift the heavy weight.

   Here “can” is the helping verb used to show the ability and to support the main verb lift.

18. He would come soon with his friend

   Here “would” is used as a helping verb so that a future likelihood is conveyed.

19. I could adapt to the new environment easily.

    Here the helping verb “could” which shows possibility and helps the main verb adapt.

20. Do you recognize him?

      “Do” is the helping verb which helps the main verb recognise.

21. Sam was cleaning his room.

    Here “was” is the helping verb which helps the main verb clean and indicates a continuous action in the past.

22. They were stunned at his performance in the magic show.

      Here “were” is the helping verb used to help the main verb stun and to indicate the past tense.

23. You must listen to your mother.

      Here “must” is the helping verb used to help the main verb listen and it tries to express obligation.

24. They might think of it.

       Here “might” is the helping verb used to indicate a possibility.

25. You may go after the meeting.

       Here the helping verb is “may” and it is used to indicate permission.

26. Roger had played for the club.

   Here the helping verb is “had” and it is used to express past tense.

27. Anna has applied for the course.

   Here “has” is the helping verb and it is used to express the present tense.

28. Raju was walking with his friend.

    Here “was” is the helping verb and it  helps to indicate  past continuous tense.

29. Sam is walking with his friend.

     Here “is” is the helping verb and it helps  to indicate the  present continuous tense.

30. Sam was walking with his friend.

   Here “was” is the helping verb which helps the main verb walk and it helps to express past continuous tense.

31 .Amy will be walking with her friend.

    Here “will”  and “be” are   the helping verbs  which help to indicate future continuous tense

32. They have been living in Manipur since 2000.

      Here “have” and “been”  act as a helping verbs and they help to indicate present perfect continuous tense.

33. They had been living in Madras since 1990.

    Here “had”  is used as a helping verb to help conveying past perfect continuous tense with the help of another helping verb “been”.

34. Anu will have been writing for the magazine.

     Here “will”,”have” and “been” are the helping verbs and they are combined together to indicate future perfect continuous tense.

35. I shall buy the house once the loan is approved.

   Here “shall” is the helping verb and it expresses intention.

36 .Roy should attend the meeting today.

   “Should” is the helping verb used to help the main  verb attend

37. Do you notice him?

      Here “do” is used as a helping verb to form a question.

38. Did Sara have an umbrella?

     Here the helping verb “did” is used with have to form a question.

39. I do not want to go to the park.

 Here the helping verb is “do” and is used to make a negative sentence.

40. He does like your presentation on climate change.

   Here “does” is the helping verb which is used to give thrust to the  main verb like.

41. He couldn’t carry the suit case.

    Here couldn’t  helps carry .

42.The epitaph was written by him.

     Here “was” is the helping verb whichnis used to frame a passive sentence.

Frequently asked questions.(FAQs)

What type of verb is helping verb?

Helping verb is a verb which helps the main verb to add further details like complete meaning, tense and mood to the sentence .

Where to use helping verb?

    A helping verb can be used with another verb to form a verb phrase.

Where to not use helping verb?

       In a sentence if the main verb can convey the tense or the complete idea alone, then you do not need to add a helping verb in that sentence.  

When to use helping verb?

   When the main verb cannot stand alone to convey the tense,mood,meaning or context we can use  a helping verb.

When to not use helping verb?   

 If you can use a strong verb ,then you need not to use a helping verb. 

For instance: Ann feels sad. You do not need to say Ann is sad.

How to use helping verb?

  Helping verbs can be used along with the main verb depending on the tense or mood you need to convey.

Why to use helping verb?

  We use a helping verb because it can can change tense, can form passive sentences and questions, can give complete meaning and can change the meaning .