Helping Verb Meaning: Helping Verbs are the verbs that merely help principal verbs in the formation of various verb forms. Helping Verbs are important as structural verbs.
Rules Applicable to all Helping Verbs
- The negative is formed by putting not after auxiliary. Examples: I can not, They do not, I must not.
- The interrogative is formed by inverting the subject and verb. Examples: Can he? May we? Maust I?
Types of Helping Verbs
Auxiliary Verbs or helping verbs are of two types:
| PRIMARY AUXILIARIES | Be Verb: is, am, are, was, were, been, being Have Verb: have, has, had, having Do Verb: do, does, did |
| MODAL AUXILIARIES | can, could, shall, should, will, would, may, might, must, dare, need, used to, ought to |
Helping Verb Meaning With Examples
Primary Helping Verb Meaning With Examples
Verbs that modify other verbs and take part in the formation of numerous grammatical constructions, but carry very little meaning themselves are called Primary Helping Verbs. The Primary Helping Verbs are, do, have, be.
TO BE
TYPE 1: To make Passive Voice
- It will be done in a short time. (Passive Voice)
- The work is being done. (Passive Voice)
- The sum has been worked out. (Passive Voice)
TYPE 2: To make a Present Progressive
- The girl is dancing. (Present Progressive)
- I am doing the sum. (Present Progressive)
- They are playing football. (Present Progressive)
TYPE 3: To make Past Progressive
- He was sleeping at night. (Past Progressive)
- The boys were reading in the class. (Past Progressive)
TO HAVE
TYPE 1: To make Passive Voice
The work had been done. (Passive Voice)
TYPE 2: To make Present Perfect
I have done the work. (Present Perfect)
He has gone, to school. (Present Perfect)
TYPE 3: To make Past Perfect
They had collected a picture. (Past Perfect)
TYPE 4: To form Nominative Absolute
The sun having risen, darkness disappeared. (Nominative Absolute)
TO DO
TYPE 1: To make an Interrogative sentence
- Do you study in class X?
- Does he take tea?
- Did she write a letter?
TYPE 2: To make a Negative sentence
- I do not like him.
- He does not go to school.
- They did not play football yesterday.
Shortened forms of ‘do’ auxiliaries :
| do not | don’t | I don’t do this work. |
| does not | doesn’t | He doesn’t do this work. |
| did not | didn’t | He didn’t do that work. |
TYPE 3: To give stress on a statement
- I do hereby authorise you.
- He did help you, and you should not deny that.
Modal Helping Verb Meaning With Examples
The Modal Helping Verbs are can, may, shall, will, must, ought to, used to, need, dare. They do not have-s’ forms or -ed participles. Can, may, shall, will, have special past forms (could, might, should, would), but the remainder (such as must) do not.
| MODALS | FUNCTIONS | EXAMPLES |
| Will | asking possibility suggestion | Will you go to school? It will rain today. You will not keep late hours at night before the exam. |
| Would | requesting | Would you give me a pen? |
| Shall | asking possibility | Shall I do the work? I hope I shall complete the project within a week. |
| Should | suggestion seeking advice | You should walk a mile in the morning. Should we go for a walk? |
| Can | ability possibility | The boy can speak English fluently. We can hold a condolence meeting for his death this Sunday. |
| Could | ability requesting | He could do the sum. Could you help me to solve the problem? |
| May | possibility permission offering | He may come here today. May I come in? May I get you a cup of tea? |
| Might | possibility suggestion | His statement might be true. You might just as well go. |
| Must | obligation certainty strong probability prohibition | You must obey your teacher. Man must die one day. You must be tired after a long journey. We must not waste our time. |
| Dare | have the courage challenge negative force interrogation | He dare not say so. (not dares’) I dare you to prove that you’ve said so. He dare not follow you. Who dares to enter the room? |
| Need | prohibition interrogation | You need not (needn’t) come here. Need he go there? |
| Used to | habitual action in the past | My father used to teach me English. |
| Ought to | obligation strong likelihood | You ought to work hard. The lawyer ought to be able to help you. |
You Asked, We Listened – List of All Grammar Topics Updated 😍😍
Also, Read
Preposition
Active and Passive Voice
Nominal Compound
Time and Tense
