Main and Helping Verbs

Main Verbs and Helping Verbs

Main verbs show the main action or state being focused to in the sentence.

Helping verbs are the verbs that are used to help the main verb to express its meaning in accordance with tense, person, number, voice or mood. They do not have any meaning of their own.

Helping verbs combine with a main verb to form a verb phrase.

He is studying right now. (is - helping verb; studying - main verb)

He is watching the game. (is - helping verb; watching - main verb)

Usage of Helping Verbs

  • Can tell about tense:
    I am running.
    I was running.

  • Can help us make negative sentences:
    He is not studying right now.
    Do not go there all alone.

  • Can help us make questions:
    Is he studying right now?
    Have you taken your tiffin box?

Types of Helping Verbs

There are two major types of Helping Verbs:

  • Auxiliary Verbs
  • Modal Verbs - They are further classified into Pure modals, Semi-modals & Idiomatic modals

Auxiliary Verbs

Auxiliary verbs – these are various forms of be, do and have

verbs

Auxiliary verbs can be used in a sentence as a helping verb, as well as the main verb.

I am going to the gym. (am is a helping verb here)
I am a trainer. (am is the main verb here)

I do know him. (do is a helping verb here)
I did do that. (do is the main verb here)

I have to go to college now. (have is a helping verb here)
I have a cat. (have is the main verb here)

Uses of Auxiliary Verbs

Use Case 1: Tense Formation

Auxiliary verbs (when they function as helping verbs) are the verbs that are used to help the main verb to express its meaning in accordance with tense.

They are playing baseball. (present continuous tense)
They were playing baseball. (past continuous tense)
They have played baseball. (present perfect tense)
They have been playing baseball since morning. (present perfect continuous tense)

Use Case 2

They are also used to make passive forms, questions and negatives.

  • Negatives
    He is not studying right now.

  • Questions
    Is he studying right now?

Modal verbs are the verbs that are used to help the main verb to express its meaning in accordance with mood (and tense too).

They are of two types: Pure Modal Verbs, and Semi Modal Verbs

verbs

They are also termed Defective Verbs, because some parts are wanting in them.

  • They have no -s in the third person singular.
  • They have no ing and ed forms.
  • They do not have non-finite forms (participle or infinitive). That is, their forms do not change with subject, person or number.

Uses of Modal Verbs

Modal verbs – help the main verb to express its meaning in accordance with mood.

  • Possibility
    It may rain today.

  • Strong Possibility
    She must have left already.

  • Ability
    I can complete this task.

  • Permission
    You can go now.

  • Condition
    If it should rain, he will not come.

Let’s study about Pure Modal Verbs, Semi Modal Verbs, and Idiomatic modals in more detail.

Pure Modal Verbs

Pure Modal verbs can only be used in a sentence as a helping verb (not as the main verb).

The main verb following pure modal (except ought) must be in bare infinitive form (i.e. $V_1$ form).
She can help you. (help - $V_1$)
She should meet you friends. (meet - $V_1$)

Semi Modal Verbs

Used to, need and dare are called Semi Modal Verbs or Marginal Auxiliary Verbs.

These Semi-Modal verbs can be used in a sentence as a helping verb, as well as a main verb (Need & Dare) or as an adjective (used to) in a sentence.

I need you. (need - main verb)
You need not come tomorrow. (need - helping verb; come - bare infinitive)

She does not dare to come home late. (dare - main verb; to come - infinitive)
I dare not enter his room without permission. (dare - helping verb; enter - bare infinitive)

I am used to sleeping late at night. (am - helping verb; used to - Adjective; sleeping - Gerund)

‘ought’ and ‘used’ is always followed by Infinitive ‘to + V1’

We ought to respect our parents. (to respect - to + $V_1$)

He used to come late. (to come - to + $V_1$)

Idiomatic modals

These are of 6 types. (we use these modals to give a specific advise)

  • Had better / Had rather/ Had sooner

  • Would better / Would rather / Would sooner

In helping verbs, except auxiliary verbs, all the other three (pure, marginal and idiomatic modals) are used to change the mood in a sentence.

So, Modals are “Mood makers” and not “Sentence Makers”. There won’t be a grammatical error in a sentence even if modal is removed.

Different modal are used to express different moods. In the following sentences the modals (must, may) are changing the mood of the sentence.

They have gone.
They must have gone.
They may have gone.

Extra Books and Tools


1. Wren & Martin - This book has been around for long and is still considered one of the best.

Links for readers from USA, UK, Canada, and other countries:

High School English Grammar and Composition Paperback

Key to Wren and Martin

Link for Indian readers: Wren and Martin


2. More advanced learners may refer to the following books. However, buy them only if you must.

A. Essential English Grammar by Raymond Murphy

Link for readers from USA, UK, Canada, and other countries: Essential Grammar in Use - with Answers

Link for Indian readers: Essential English Grammar

B. Intermediate English Grammar by Raymond Murphy

Link for readers from USA, UK, Canada, and other countries: English Grammar in Use - with Answers

Link for Indian readers: Intermediate English Grammar

C. Advanced English Grammar by Martin Hewings

Link for readers from USA, UK, Canada, and other countries: Advanced Grammar in Use - with Answers

Link for Indian readers: Advanced English Grammar


So much so for Englsh Grammar. But what about Comprehension skills and Vocabulary?

For this, I prefer to read on gadgets like Kindle. We may just tap on any word and see its meaning there and then. It's also not taxing on the eyes. There are a multitude of Kindle models and versions available. Though, any model will meet our basic reading needs.

Link for readers from USA, UK, Canada, and other countries:

Link for Indian readers: Kindle

If you want to know more about such recommended books, you may read this article of ours.
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