Verb Phrases with Helping Verbs

Front

What is a verb phrase?

Back

A verb phrase consists of a main verb and any helping (auxiliary) verbs that accompany it.

Front

What is a helping verb?

Back

A helping verb, also known as an auxiliary verb, is used with a main verb to form a verb phrase that indicates tense, mood, or voice.

Front

Can you name some common helping verbs?

Back

Common helping verbs include 'is', 'are', 'was', 'were', 'has', 'have', 'will', 'shall', 'can', 'could', 'may', 'might', 'must', and 'do'.

Front

What is the role of the main verb in a verb phrase?

Back

The main verb expresses the primary action or state of being in the sentence.

Front

How do you identify the main verb in a sentence?

Back

The main verb can usually be identified by finding the action or state of being that is not a helping verb.

Front

What is the difference between a main verb and a helping verb?

Back

A main verb conveys the primary action or state, while a helping verb assists the main verb in expressing tense, mood, or voice.

Front

What is an example of a verb phrase?

Back

An example of a verb phrase is 'has been running', where 'has' is the helping verb and 'running' is the main verb.

Front

How do helping verbs affect the meaning of a sentence?

Back

Helping verbs modify the main verb to provide additional information about the action, such as when it occurs or its intensity.

Front

What is the function of the verb 'to be' as a helping verb?

Back

The verb 'to be' is used to form continuous tenses and passive voice.

Front

What is a continuous tense?

Back

A continuous tense indicates an ongoing action and is formed using a form of 'to be' plus the present participle of the main verb.