Main and Helping Verbs: Grammar Practice | Printable Skills Sheets ... - Free Printable

Let’s go through each sentence one by one. We need to find the main verb (the action that really happens) and the helping verb (the word that helps the main verb show when the action happens — like past, present, or future).

Remember: Helping verbs are words like *is, am, are, was, were, has, have, had, will, can, could, should*, etc. They help the main verb tell us more about the action.

---

1. What will happen to the doughnuts?
→ “will” is helping → “happen” is the main action
✔ Main verb: happen | Helping verb: will

2. Uncle Ulysses has installed new lights in the lunchroom.
→ “has” is helping → “installed” is the main action
✔ Main verb: installed | Helping verb: has

3. Homer was polishing the metal trimmings.
→ “was” is helping → “polishing” is the main action
✔ Main verb: polishing | Helping verb: was

4. Uncle Ulysses had tinkered with the inside workings.
→ “had” is helping → “tinkered” is the main action
✔ Main verb: tinkered | Helping verb: had

5. The Ladies’ Club was gathering.
→ “was” is helping → “gathering” is the main action
✔ Main verb: gathering | Helping verb: was

6. Homer will handle everything.
→ “will” is helping → “handle” is the main action
✔ Main verb: handle | Helping verb: will

7. Mr. Gabby was talking to Homer about his job.
→ “was” is helping → “talking” is the main action
✔ Main verb: talking | Helping verb: was

8. A chauffeur had helped a woman out of a black car.
→ “had” is helping → “helped” is the main action
✔ Main verb: helped | Helping verb: had

9. Now she is wearing an apron.
→ “is” is helping → “wearing” is the main action
✔ Main verb: wearing | Helping verb: is

10. She will read some running. *(Note: This sentence seems odd — maybe it’s a typo? But we’ll work with what’s written.)*
→ “will” is helping → “read” is the main action
✔ Main verb: read | Helping verb: will

---

Now for the second part: Circle the main verb and underline the helping verb. Then identify if the action is happening in the past, present, or future.

1. The lady had asked for baking powder.
→ Helping verb: had (underline)
→ Main verb: asked (circle)
→ “had asked” = past perfect → action happened in the past

2. The rings of batter will drop into the hot fat.
→ Helping verb: will (underline)
→ Main verb: drop (circle)
→ “will drop” = future → action will happen in the future

3. Homer is learning about the doughnut machine.
→ Helping verb: is (underline)
→ Main verb: learning (circle)
→ “is learning” = present continuous → action is happening now → present

4. People will enjoy the doughnuts later.
→ Helping verb: will (underline)
→ Main verb: enjoy (circle)
→ “will enjoy” = future → action will happen in the future

---

Final Answer:

Part 1 – Underline helping verb once, circle main verb twice:

1. will / happen
2. has / installed
3. was / polishing
4. had / tinkered
5. was / gathering
6. will / handle
7. was / talking
8. had / helped
9. is / wearing
10. will / read

Part 2 – Circle main verb, underline helping verb, then write tense:

1. had (underlined), asked (circled) → past
2. will (underlined), drop (circled) → future
3. is (underlined), learning (circled) → present
4. will (underlined), enjoy (circled) → future