A helping verb is a verb used with a main verb to express the main verb's tense, mood, or voice. The main helping verbs are 'to be,' 'to have,' and 'to do.' Helping verbs are also known as auxiliary verbs.

Helping verbs are words that accompany the main verb in a sentence to form a complete verb phrase. They do not stand alone but work with the main verb to indicate the time, mood, or voice of the action.

You may have heard of helping verbs, which are also referred to as modal and auxiliary verbs. In this discussion, we'll review what a helping verb is and how it works with another verb.

Sep 15, 2025 · Learn what helping verbs are with easy examples and sentences. Understand types, usage, and rules to improve your English grammar skills.

Explore the 23 helping verbs in English grammar—also known as auxiliary verbs. Learn how they support main verbs, with examples covering tense, questions, passive voice, and modal usage.

Auxiliary verbs, also known as helper verbs or helping verbs, are minor verbs that support the sentence’s main verb to communicate complex grammar concepts like aspects of time or modality.

Helping verbs, or auxiliary verbs, are verbs that assist the main verb in forming tenses, moods, voices, or questions. Examples include “is,” “have,” and “will.”

In this article, we will explore helping verb examples, their usage, and different types of helping verbs that form part of the grammar structure in English.

A helping verb does just that—it “helps” the main verb to create a different verb tense. The helping verb may also help a main verb to show possibility or potential. A verb only becomes a helping verb when …

The following table provides a short list of some verbs that can function as helping verbs, along with examples of the way they function. A full list of helping verbs can be found here.