Have you ever tried to say something in English — but got stuck on a small word in the middle? "I ___ going to the market." "She ___ not like it." "They ___ already finished." Those small words are helping verbs. And they appear in almost every English sentence you speak.
Here is the good news. Once you learn helping verbs with examples, you will stop freezing and start building sentences easily. You will ask questions, talk about the past, make polite requests — all with confidence.
This post gives you the complete helping verbs list in English, shows you how each one works in real spoken sentences, and gives you practice dialogues you can speak out loud today. Let's begin.
Why This Matters for Speaking
Think about these everyday sentences:
- "Do you want tea?"
- "I am learning English."
- "She can drive a car."
- "We will meet tomorrow."
Every one of these sentences has a helping verb. Remove it, and the sentence breaks. You cannot ask a proper question without do or does. You cannot talk about the future without will. You cannot describe what is happening right now without am, is, or are.
Many beginners memorize main verbs like "eat," "go," and "read." That is great. But they forget the helping verbs — the small words that hold the sentence together. That is why they know WHAT they want to say but cannot build the sentence.
Helping verbs are the backbone of English speaking. Master them, and your sentences will come out faster and more naturally.
What Are Helping Verbs?
A helping verb is a verb that comes before the main verb in a sentence. It "helps" the main verb by adding information — like time, ability, permission, or necessity.
Another name for helping verbs is auxiliary verbs in English. Both terms mean the same thing.
Look at these examples:
- She is singing. → "is" helps "singing"
- I can speak English. → "can" helps "speak"
- They have finished dinner. → "have" helps "finished"
Notice the pattern? The helping verb changes based on the subject and the situation. The main verb carries the core meaning. Together, they form a complete sentence.
Complete Helping Verbs List in English
There are 23 helping verbs in English. Here they are in four groups:
- Be group: am, is, are, was, were, be, being, been
- Have group: have, has, had
- Do group: do, does, did
- Modal group: can, could, will, would, shall, should, may, might, must
Do not try to memorize all 23 at once. In the sections below, I will show you the most useful ones — grouped by how you actually use them in daily English speaking.
Helping Verbs with Examples — Grouped by Speaking Situation
This is where it gets practical. Instead of just listing rules, let me show you which helping verbs to use and WHEN — based on real situations you face every day.
1. Talking About What Is Happening Now (am, is, are)
Use am / is / are + verb-ing to describe actions happening right now. This is the present continuous tense.
- I am eating breakfast.
- She is talking to her friend.
- They are waiting outside.
Quick rule: I → am | He/She/It → is | You/We/They → are
2. Asking Questions and Saying "No" in Daily Life (do, does, did)
Use do / does / did to form questions and negative sentences in simple present and simple past.
- Do you like coffee?
- Does she work here?
- Did they come yesterday?
- I do not understand.
- He does not know the answer.
- We did not go to the party.
Quick rule: I/You/We/They → do (present) | He/She/It → does (present) | All subjects → did (past)
3. Talking About What You Have Done (have, has, had)
Use have / has / had + past participle to talk about completed actions or experiences.
- I have finished my homework.
- She has already eaten lunch.
- They had left before I arrived.
Quick rule: I/You/We/They → have | He/She/It → has | Past (all subjects) → had
4. Talking About the Past (was, were)
Use was / were + verb-ing to describe something that was happening at a specific moment in the past.
- I was sleeping when you called.
- They were playing football in the park.
- She was cooking dinner at 7 PM.
Quick rule: I/He/She/It → was | You/We/They → were
5. Talking About the Future (will, shall)
Use will + base verb to talk about what will happen next.
- I will call you tomorrow.
- She will come to the meeting.
- We will finish this project soon.
Shall is less common in everyday speaking. You may hear it in polite suggestions:
- Shall we go now?
- Shall I open the window?
6. Showing Ability and Permission (can, could, may, might)
- I can swim. → ability
- Could you help me, please? → polite request
- May I sit here? → asking permission
- It might rain today. → possibility
Tip for beginners: Use can for ability. Use could or may when you want to sound polite.
7. Giving Advice and Showing Necessity (should, must, would)
- You should drink more water. → advice
- You must wear your seatbelt. → rule or strong necessity
- Would you like some tea? → polite offer
- I would love to visit Japan someday. → a wish
These helping verbs add politeness, advice, and strength to your sentences. They are very useful for beginners who want to sound natural and respectful.
Speak This Now – Practice Dialogues
Read these dialogues out loud. Yes, really — speak them. Reading silently is not enough. Your mouth needs practice too.
Dialogue 1: Morning at Home
A: Are you coming for breakfast?
B: Yes, I am coming. Give me two minutes.
A: Do you want tea or coffee?
B: I will have tea today. Thank you.
A: Okay. It is almost ready.
Dialogue 2: Making Weekend Plans
A: What will you do this weekend?
B: I am not sure yet. I might visit my cousin.
A: Can I come with you?
B: Of course! We should leave early.
A: Great. I will be ready by 8 AM.
Dialogue 3: At Work
A: Have you finished the report?
B: I am still working on it. I will send it by evening.
A: Could you also add the sales numbers?
B: Sure. I can do that.
A: Thank you. You are doing a great job.
Try speaking each dialogue two or three times. Then try it from memory. Do not worry about being perfect — just speak.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Here are mistakes that beginners for helping verbs often make. Check if you make any of these — and fix them today.
Mistake 1: Using "is" with "I"
- ❌ I is happy.
- ✅ I am happy.
Mistake 2: Adding "s" to the main verb after "does"
- ❌ Does she likes coffee?
- ✅ Does she like coffee?
When you use does, the main verb stays in base form. The "s" is already inside "does."
Mistake 3: Using "have" with he/she/it
- ❌ She have gone home.
- ✅ She has gone home.
Mistake 4: Mixing "was" and "were"
- ❌ They was tired after work.
- ✅ They were tired after work.
Mistake 5: Using two modals together
- ❌ I will can help you tomorrow.
- ✅ I will be able to help you tomorrow.
You cannot put two modal helping verbs side by side. Use only one, or rephrase.
Quick Revision Summary
- Helping verbs come before the main verb and add meaning to the sentence.
- There are 23 helping verbs in English, in four groups: be, have, do, and modals.
- Use am/is/are for things happening now.
- Use do/does/did for questions and negatives.
- Use have/has/had for completed actions.
- Use was/were for past continuous actions.
- Use will for the future.
- Use can/could/may/might for ability, permission, and possibility.
- Use should/must/would for advice, necessity, and polite offers.
- Never use two modal verbs together in one sentence.
- After does or did, use the base form of the main verb (no "s").
Practice Exercise
Fill in the blank with the correct helping verb. Try to answer before looking at the answer below.
1. ___ you speak French?
Answer: Can you speak French?
2. She ___ reading a book right now.
Answer: She is reading a book right now.
3. They ___ not come to the party yesterday.
Answer: They did not come to the party yesterday.
4. I ___ already finished my lunch.
Answer: I have already finished my lunch.
5. ___ I help you with your bag?
Answer: Shall I help you with your bag? (or Can I help you with your bag? — both are correct)
How did you do? If you got 3 or more right, you are on the right track. Keep practising!
Frequently Asked Questions
What are helping verbs in English?
Helping verbs (also called auxiliary verbs) are verbs that come before the main verb in a sentence. They add information about time, ability, permission, or necessity. Examples include is, do, have, can, and will.
How many helping verbs are there in English?
There are 23 helping verbs in English. They belong to four groups: the be group (am, is, are, was, were, be, being, been), the have group (have, has, had), the do group (do, does, did), and the modal group (can, could, will, would, shall, should, may, might, must).
What is the difference between a helping verb and a main verb?
A main verb shows the action — like eat, run, or write. A helping verb supports the main verb and adds meaning. In "She is eating lunch," the main verb is "eating" and the helping verb is "is." You can learn more about common verbs in English to see main verbs in detail.
How do I use helping verbs when speaking English?
Place the helping verb before the main verb. Match it to the subject (I, he, she, they, etc.) and the time (past, present, future). For example: "I am going" (now), "She did not go" (past), "We will go" (future). The more you practise with real sentences, the more natural it becomes.
Can a sentence have two helping verbs?
Yes, some sentences use two helping verbs together. For example: "She has been working all day." Here, "has" and "been" are both helping verbs, and "working" is the main verb. However, you cannot use two modal verbs together (for example, "will can" is not correct).
Conclusion – Start Speaking Today
You now know all the helping verbs for beginners, how they work, and where to use them. That is a big step forward.
Here is your action step: pick three helping verbs from this post — maybe can, do, and will — and make five sentences with each one. Speak them out loud. Right now. Not tomorrow.
Do not worry about making mistakes. Every English speaker — even native speakers — made mistakes while learning. What matters is that you try.
If you want to understand how helping verbs connect to different tenses, read our guide on what are tenses. And to see how am/is/are work in action, check out our lesson on the present continuous tense.
Keep practising. Keep speaking. You are closer to fluency than you think.
About Englispeaker: Englispeaker helps beginners speak English with confidence. Every lesson is simple, practical, and made for real-life conversations.
Reviewed and edited by the Englispeaker team for accuracy and clarity.
