Main and Helping Verbs worksheet for grammar practice.
Worksheet titled "Main and Helping Verbs" with instructions to identify main and helping verbs in sentences, featuring a reteaching box and numbered sentences for practice.
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Step-by-step solution for: Main & Helping Verbs worksheet
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Show Answer Key & Explanations
Step-by-step solution for: Main & Helping Verbs worksheet
Let's solve this step by step. The task is to identify the main verb and the helping verb in each sentence.
- Main verb: Shows the action or state of being.
- Helping verb: Words like *am, is, are, has, have, had, will*, etc., that work with the main verb to show when the action occurs.
We’ll go through each sentence and identify:
1. The main verb (the actual action or state).
2. The helping verb (if present).
---
- Main verb: *weighed*
- Helping verb: *had*
✔ "had" helps "weighed" to form past perfect tense.
---
- Main verb: *expected*
- Helping verb: *have*
✔ "have" helps "expected" for present perfect tense.
---
- Main verb: *becoming*
- Helping verb: *is*
✔ "is" helps "becoming" for present continuous tense.
---
- Main verb: *stopped*
- Helping verb: *has*
✔ "has" helps "stopped" for present perfect tense.
---
- Main verb: *noticing*
- Helping verb: *are*
✔ "are" helps "noticing" for present continuous tense.
---
- Main verb: *surprise*
- Helping verb: *will*
✔ "will" helps "surprise" to show future action.
---
- Main verb: *urging*
- Helping verb: *are*
✔ "are" helps "urging" for present continuous tense.
---
- Main verb: *flying*
- Helping verb: *is*
✔ "is" helps "flying" for present continuous tense.
---
- Main verb: *lunged*
- Helping verb: *has*
✔ "has" helps "lunged" for present perfect tense.
---
- Main verb: *thinking*
- Helping verb: *is*
✔ "is" helps "thinking" for present continuous tense. (Negation doesn't affect verb type.)
---
- Main verb: *forgetting*
- Helping verb: *was*
✔ "was" helps "forgetting" for past continuous tense.
---
- Main verb: *cheering*
- Helping verb: *were*
✔ "were" helps "cheering" for past continuous tense.
---
- Main verb: *captured*
- Helping verb: *had*
✔ "had" helps "captured" for past perfect tense.
---
- Main verb: *changed*
- Helping verb: *has*
✔ "has" helps "changed" for present perfect tense.
---
- Main verb: *tell*
- Helping verb: *will*
✔ "will" helps "tell" for future tense.
---
| Sentence | 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 |
✔ All sentences follow the pattern: Helping verb + main verb, except where the helping verb is implied or part of a compound structure. In all cases above, the helping verb is clearly identifiable as one of the auxiliary verbs listed.
Let me know if you'd like this formatted as a printable answer sheet!
Definitions (from the reteaching box):
- Main verb: Shows the action or state of being.
- Helping verb: Words like *am, is, are, has, have, had, will*, etc., that work with the main verb to show when the action occurs.
We’ll go through each sentence and identify:
1. The main verb (the actual action or state).
2. The helping verb (if present).
---
1. Wilma had weighed only four pounds at birth.
- Main verb: *weighed*
- Helping verb: *had*
✔ "had" helps "weighed" to form past perfect tense.
---
2. Others have expected little from her.
- Main verb: *expected*
- Helping verb: *have*
✔ "have" helps "expected" for present perfect tense.
---
3. She is becoming a great athlete.
- Main verb: *becoming*
- Helping verb: *is*
✔ "is" helps "becoming" for present continuous tense.
---
4. Not a single problem has stopped her.
- Main verb: *stopped*
- Helping verb: *has*
✔ "has" helps "stopped" for present perfect tense.
---
5. People are noticing her skill in basketball.
- Main verb: *noticing*
- Helping verb: *are*
✔ "are" helps "noticing" for present continuous tense.
---
6. Wilma will surprise everyone.
- Main verb: *surprise*
- Helping verb: *will*
✔ "will" helps "surprise" to show future action.
---
7. They are urging her to run races.
- Main verb: *urging*
- Helping verb: *are*
✔ "are" helps "urging" for present continuous tense.
---
8. The sweat is flying off her face.
- Main verb: *flying*
- Helping verb: *is*
✔ "is" helps "flying" for present continuous tense.
---
9. She has lunged across the finish line.
- Main verb: *lunged*
- Helping verb: *has*
✔ "has" helps "lunged" for present perfect tense.
---
10. She is not thinking about her fear or pain.
- Main verb: *thinking*
- Helping verb: *is*
✔ "is" helps "thinking" for present continuous tense. (Negation doesn't affect verb type.)
---
11. She was forgetting all her problems.
- Main verb: *forgetting*
- Helping verb: *was*
✔ "was" helps "forgetting" for past continuous tense.
---
12. People in the crowd were cheering for her.
- Main verb: *cheering*
- Helping verb: *were*
✔ "were" helps "cheering" for past continuous tense.
---
13. No American woman had captured three gold medals at one Olympics.
- Main verb: *captured*
- Helping verb: *had*
✔ "had" helps "captured" for past perfect tense.
---
14. She has changed sports history.
- Main verb: *changed*
- Helping verb: *has*
✔ "has" helps "changed" for present perfect tense.
---
15. We will tell others about Wilma Rudolph’s accomplishments.
- Main verb: *tell*
- Helping verb: *will*
✔ "will" helps "tell" for future tense.
---
Final Answers:
| Sentence | 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 |
✔ All sentences follow the pattern: Helping verb + main verb, except where the helping verb is implied or part of a compound structure. In all cases above, the helping verb is clearly identifiable as one of the auxiliary verbs listed.
Let me know if you'd like this formatted as a printable answer sheet!
Parent Tip: Review the logic above to help your child master the concept of main verb and helping verb worksheet.
