Meaning & use
helping verbs
Verbs, such as "is," "have," or "can," that combine with a main verb to show tense, mood, or voice.
See it in a sentence
In "she has finished," the word "has" is a helping verb supporting "finished."
Students practiced identifying helping verbs in each sentence of the passage.
A note on using this word
Also called "auxiliary verbs" in more formal grammar terminology; common examples include "be," "do," "have," and modal verbs like "can" or "must."
Words with a similar meaning
auxiliary verbs
Choose a synonym to suit the sentence. Meanings can overlap without being identical.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “helping verbs”, then compare your use with the examples above.
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