Identify main verbs and helping verbs

Learning Objectives Define a main verb as the main action word in a sentence. Define a helping verb as a word that helps the main verb show action. Identify the main verb in a simple sentence. Identify common helping verbs (is, am, are, was, were, has, have, had, do, does, did). Find the complete verb phrase (helping verb + main verb) in a sentence. Explain that a helping verb always comes before the main verb. Have you ever seen a superhero with a sidekick? 🦸‍♂️ Verbs have sidekicks too, and we're going to meet them! Today, we will learn about two types of verbs: main verbs (the superheroes!) and helping verbs (their trusty sidekicks!). Learning about them helps us build stronger, more interesting sentences when we read and write. Real-World Applications Telling...

TermDefinitionExample VerbA word that shows action or a state of being.The dog **runs**. She **is** happy. Main VerbThe most important verb in the sentence. It shows the main action or state of being.He is **climbing** the tree. (The main action is climbing). Helping VerbA small verb that comes *before* the main verb to help it out. It helps show *when* the action is happening.He **is** climbing the tree. ('is' helps 'climbing'). Verb PhraseThe helping verb and the main verb working together as a team.The birds **are singing**. The complete verb phrase is 'are singing'. Common Helping VerbsA list of some of the most used helping verbs you will see.is, am, are, was, were, do, does, did, has, have, had

The Helper First Rule Helping Verb + Main Verb A helping verb always comes before the main verb in a sentence. Think of the sidekick arriving first to help the hero! The 'Not' Sandwich Rule Helping Verb + not + Main Verb To make a sentence negative, the word 'not' often goes between the helping verb and the main verb, like filling in a sandwich. The Question Flip Rule Helping Verb + Subject + Main Verb? To ask a question, the helping verb often moves to the front of the sentence, before the subject (the person or thing doing the action).