Grammar and Language Workbook

Unit 3, Verbs 87

Copyright © by Glencoe/McGraw-Hill

Grammar

Lesson 18

Helping Verbs

A helping verb is a verb that helps the main verb express an action or make a

statement. Forms of the helping verb be are used with the present participle.

SINGULAR PLURAL

I am memorizing my lines. We are memorizing our lines.

You are memorizing your lines. You arememorizing your lines.

She is memorizing her lines. They arememorizing their lines.

I was memorizing my lines. We were memorizing our lines.

You were memorizing your lines. You werememorizing your lines.

He was memorizing his lines. They werememorizing their lines.

Forms of the helping verb have are used with the past participle of a main verb.

SINGULAR PLURAL

I havevisited Florida. We have visited Florida.

You have visited Florida. You havevisited Florida.

Hehas visited Florida. They havevisited Florida.

I hadvisited Florida. We had visited Florida.

You had visited Florida. You had visited Florida.

She had visited Florida. They hadvisited Florida.

Exercise 1 Underline the helping verb in each sentence.

Lenore and her father arewatching the basketball game.

1. Carol hashelped her brother with his homework.


2. The three friends werepedaling uphill slowly.


3. Steven hadstarted a new project.


4. Lee issteering the orange canoe.


5. Both girls areriding red bicycles.


6. Lisa hadremoved her helmet.


7. Andrew wassliding into home plate.


8. No one hadpracticed.


9. She ishoping to set a new record.


10. Carlos waswearing a blue jacket.