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
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
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
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
If you prefer to learn via books, or want some good English Grammar books for reference purposes, you may read this article which enlists some of the books recommended by us.