Helping Verbs and Verb Phrases

Definitions!

• A verb phrase is composed of a helping verb and a main verb.

• A helping verb is a verb that comes before and “helps” the main verb.

• A verb phrase may have as many as three helping verbs.

Common Helping Verbs

• Am• Is• Are• Was• Were• Be• Been• Being

•Has

•Have

•Had

•Does

•Do

•Did

•Shall

•Should

•Can

•Could

•Will

•Would

•May

•Might

•Must

ExamplesAll of the sentences have verb phrases. The helping verbs are in bold.

• We had never met before.

• He should have won the car race. • She might win the lottery.• Joe will eat it.• Julia can do a split.• The letters should have been mailed earlier.

Practice

Helping VerbsClick the helping verb.

• I was using hammers to build a shelf.

• Bobby will eat anything!

• Jake should take out the trash.

• Amanda might win the dance contest.

Verb PhrasesClick VP if the sentence has a verb phrase,

and click the X if it doesn’t.

• Freddy will crawl to the kitchen. VP X

• Freddy crawled to the kitchen. VP X

• Emma ate a doughnut for breakfast. VP X

• Johnny can jump a very long distance. VP X

Who Wants to be a Millionaire Game

Correct!!

QuickTime™ and a decompressor

are needed to see this picture.

http://www.balloons123.com/images/products/thumbs/MF-M25930.jpg

Wrong

QuickTime™ and a decompressor

are needed to see this picture.

http://www.wright.edu/cola/Dept/eng/english_club/images/SadFace.jpg