Main & Helping Verbs worksheet - Free Printable

Task Overview:

The task requires identifying the main verb and the helping verb in each sentence. Here's a breakdown of the concepts:

- Main Verb: The main verb shows the action or state of being in a sentence.
- Helping Verb: A helping verb (such as *am, is, are, has, have, had, will*) works with the main verb to show when the action or state of being occurs.

Solution:

Let’s analyze each sentence step by step and identify the main verb and the helping verb.

---

#### 1. Wilma had weighed only four pounds at birth.
- Main Verb: *weighed* (shows the action of measuring weight)
- Helping Verb: *had* (indicates past perfect tense)

| Main | Helping |
|------|----------|
| weighed | had |

---

#### 2. Others have expected little from her.
- Main Verb: *expected* (shows the action of anticipating something)
- Helping Verb: *have* (indicates present perfect tense)

| Main | Helping |
|------|----------|
| expected | have |

---

#### 3. She is becoming a great athlete.
- Main Verb: *becoming* (shows the action of developing into something)
- Helping Verb: *is* (indicates present progressive tense)

| Main | Helping |
|------|----------|
| becoming | is |

---

#### 4. Not a single problem has stopped her.
- Main Verb: *stopped* (shows the action of halting something)
- Helping Verb: *has* (indicates present perfect tense)

| Main | Helping |
|------|----------|
| stopped | has |

---

#### 5. People are noticing her skill in basketball.
- Main Verb: *noticing* (shows the action of observing something)
- Helping Verb: *are* (indicates present progressive tense)

| Main | Helping |
|------|----------|
| noticing | are |

---

#### 6. Wilma will surprise everyone.
- Main Verb: *surprise* (shows the action of astonishing someone)
- Helping Verb: *will* (indicates future tense)

| Main | Helping |
|------|----------|
| surprise | will |

---

#### 7. They are urging her to run races.
- Main Verb: *urging* (shows the action of encouraging someone)
- Helping Verb: *are* (indicates present progressive tense)

| Main | Helping |
|------|----------|
| urging | are |

---

#### 8. The sweat is flying off her face.
- Main Verb: *flying* (shows the action of moving quickly)
- Helping Verb: *is* (indicates present progressive tense)

| Main | Helping |
|------|----------|
| flying | is |

---

#### 9. She has lunged across the finish line.
- Main Verb: *lunged* (shows the action of making a sudden movement)
- Helping Verb: *has* (indicates present perfect tense)

| Main | Helping |
|------|----------|
| lunged | has |

---

#### 10. She is not thinking about her fear or pain.
- Main Verb: *thinking* (shows the action of considering something)
- Helping Verb: *is* (indicates present progressive tense)

| Main | Helping |
|------|----------|
| thinking | is |

---

#### 11. She was forgetting all her problems.
- Main Verb: *forgetting* (shows the action of losing memory)
- Helping Verb: *was* (indicates past progressive tense)

| Main | Helping |
|------|----------|
| forgetting | was |

---

#### 12. People in the crowd were cheering for her.
- Main Verb: *cheering* (shows the action of expressing excitement)
- Helping Verb: *were* (indicates past progressive tense)

| Main | Helping |
|------|----------|
| cheering | were |

---

#### 13. No American woman had captured three gold medals at one Olympics.
- Main Verb: *captured* (shows the action of winning something)
- Helping Verb: *had* (indicates past perfect tense)

| Main | Helping |
|------|----------|
| captured | had |

---

#### 14. She has changed sports history.
- Main Verb: *changed* (shows the action of altering something)
- Helping Verb: *has* (indicates present perfect tense)

| Main | Helping |
|------|----------|
| changed | has |

---

#### 15. We will tell others about Wilma Rudolph’s accomplishments.
- Main Verb: *tell* (shows the action of informing someone)
- Helping Verb: *will* (indicates future tense)

| Main | Helping |
|------|----------|
| tell | will |

---

Final Answer:

Here is the completed table:

| Sentence Number | Main Verb | Helping Verb |
|------------------|------------|---------------|
| 1 | weighed | had |
| 2 | expected | have |
| 3 | becoming | is |
| 4 | stopped | has |
| 5 | noticing | are |
| 6 | surprise | will |
| 7 | urging | are |
| 8 | flying | is |
| 9 | lunged | has |
| 10 | thinking | is |
| 11 | forgetting | was |
| 12 | cheering | were |
| 13 | captured | had |
| 14 | changed | has |
| 15 | tell | will |

Final Answer:
\boxed{
\begin{array}{|c|c|c|}
\hline
\text{Sentence Number} & \text{Main Verb} & \text{Helping Verb} \\
\hline
1 & \text{weighed} & \text{had} \\
2 & \text{expected} & \text{have} \\
3 & \text{becoming} & \text{is} \\
4 & \text{stopped} & \text{has} \\
5 & \text{noticing} & \text{are} \\
6 & \text{surprise} & \text{will} \\
7 & \text{urging} & \text{are} \\
8 & \text{flying} & \text{is} \\
9 & \text{lunged} & \text{has} \\
10 & \text{thinking} & \text{is} \\
11 & \text{forgetting} & \text{was} \\
12 & \text{cheering} & \text{were} \\
13 & \text{captured} & \text{had} \\
14 & \text{changed} & \text{has} \\
15 & \text{tell} & \text{will} \\
\hline
\end{array}
}