A list of helping verbs will help you identify helping or auxiliary verbs in English sentences and improve your writing skills.

By learning the following helping verbs, you will quickly identify helping or auxiliary verbs in English sentences.

A List of Helping Verbs or Auxiliary Verbs

am, is, are
was, were
be, being, been
do, did, does
have, has, had
may, might, must
can, could
shall, should
will, would

Helping Verbs Explained

Every sentence must have a verb and a subject in order to express a complete thought.

Sometimes, the verb of a sentence is one word. Other times the verb of a sentence is made up of a main verb and one or more helping or auxiliary verbs.

In these combinations, the last word of the group is usually called the notional verb because it gives the main idea or notion and the helping words added to it are called auxiliary or helping verbs.

These verbs which have very important auxiliary uses are have, be and do.

1. The Auxiliary Verb “HAVE”

“Have” is added to the past participle of the notional verb to form the perfect tenses.

I have found the solution to our problem.
The church service will have finished by the time we arrived from the airport.

2. The Auxiliary Verb “BE”

“Be” has two common auxiliary uses.

First, be is added to the present participle of the notional verb to make the progressive form.

David is playing the piano.
The cricket team has been worrying about the weather.

Second, be combines with the past participle of the notional verb in order to form the passive voice.

I was told about the accident.
The lock has been damaged by the thieves.

3. The Auxiliary Verb “DO”

“Do” combines with the simple infinitive of the notional verb to make the emphatic form in present and past tense.

I do not like the music.
Yes I did lock the house.

Though we use these forms to add weight and emphasis to a statement, the most common usage is asking and answering questions.

Do you like swimming?
Did you hear the terrible music?

These helping or auxiliary verbs can be used as notional verbs. “Have” when it means “possess,” “be” to show existence and used as a linking verb and “do” when it means accomplished.

I have the plans for the new building. (possession)
There is a mouse in the cupboard. (Existence)
The photograph is perfect. (Linking)
The athlete did the run in the allotted time. (Accomplished)

4. The Auxiliary Verbs “SHALL” and “WILL”

Shall and will are used with the simple infinitive of the notional verb in order to give us one form of the future tense.

I shall disappear tomorrow.
I will return next week.

5. The Auxiliary Verbs “MAY, MIGHT, MUST, CAN, COULD, WOULD and SHOULD”

These helping or auxiliary verbs are called modal auxiliaries because they indicate the mood of the speaker and his attitude toward the statement that is being made.

These auxiliaries combine with the infinitive and with the present perfect form.