Auxiliary Verbs (Helping Verbs)

An auxiliary verb is a verb that helps the main verb in a sentence. It comes before the main verb and adds extra meaning, such as when something happens (past, present, or future), or whether we are asking a question or saying “no.”

Without a helping verb:
Riya sings.

With helping verbs:
Riya is singing. Riya will sing. Does Riya sing? Riya does not sing.

See how the helping verb changes the meaning of the sentence?

Common auxiliary verbs:

Type Auxiliary verbs Example
Be am, is, are, was, were She is reading a book.
Have has, have, had They have finished their work.
Do do, does, did Do you like mangoes?
Will / Shall will, shall We will visit our grandparents.
Modals can, could, may, might, must, should, would He can swim very fast.

What helping verbs do:

  1. Show tense: I was playing. I will play.
  2. Form questions: Did you eat lunch?
  3. Form negatives: She does not like tea.
  4. Show ability, permission, or duty: You must do your homework.

Remember: The main verb tells us the action (sing, play, eat). The auxiliary verb helps the main verb by adding more information. They always work together as a team!

Last modified: Saturday, 24 October 2026, 11:09 AM