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- 120
- à 2.2èMain Verbs and Helping Verbs
- ä:ïDistinguish between main verbs and helping verbs in the
- sentence in the Example.
- â:
-
- ëWhenever he opened the window, flies came in; he should have
- #been more careful.ï╖Opened, ca╖me╗,╗ and ╖been╗ are main verbs.ï╖
- #╖╖Should have╗╗ is a helping verb.
- éS Every sentence has to have at least one main verb, and a main
- verb consists of only one word.ïSometimes other verbs introduce the
- main verb.ïThe following is a list of the helping verbs: all verbs of
- #being ╖(am, is, are, was, were, be, being), has, have, had; shall,
- #╖should; will, would; can, could; may, might; do, did, does; ╗and ╖must.
- #╗Sometimes a main verb is preceded by only one helping verb.ïFor
- #example, in the sentence ╖I am going to the dock, going ╗is the main
- #verb and ╖am╗ is the helping verb.ïOther times a helping verb mightï╗
- #╖╗consist of two verbs: ╖He could be crawling by tonight.ïCould ╗andï╗
- #╖be ╗are both helping verbs coming before the main verb ╖╖╖crawling.ï╗
- At other times three helping verbs may come in front of a main verb.
- #In ╖I must have been ╗╖thinking too much about the Super Bowl, must ╗and
- #╖have ╗and ╖been ╗are all helping verbs coming before the main verb ╖
- #╖thinking.╗ïThe only helping verb that can not also be a main verb
- #in a different sentence situation is the verb ╖being.
- 1.ïWhich one of the following sentences contains a main
- verb and one helping verb?
-
- A)ïJulia will be here soon.
- B)ïThey stayed at the motel for three days.
- C)ïThe comedian could be alarming the children.
- D)ïå
- ü
- #ë╢Be╗ is the main verb in the first sentence and╢ will╗ is the
- #helping verb.ïBut in the last sentence, ╖be╗ is part of the helping
- #verb group ╖could be,╗ which precedes the main verb ╖alarming.╗ïThe
- #middle sentence has only one verb, the main verb ╖stayed.╗
- Ç A
- 2.ïWhich one of the following sentences contains a main
- verb and two helping verbs?
-
- A)ïDavid was throwing the football against the wall.
- B)ïRalph does not live close to you.
- C)ïThe camel had been drinking water for a half hour.
- D)ïå
- ü
- #ë╢Had╗ and ╢been╗ are two helping verbs before the main verb ╢╗
- #╖╢drinking.╗ïIn another sentence ╖was╗ is the only helping verb in
- #front of ╖throwing,╗ the main verb.ïThe remaining sentence also has
- #the helping verb ╖does╗ and the one main verb ╖live.╗ïNotice that the
- #word ╖not╗, which sometimes is found in helping word groups, is not
- itself a verb.
- Ç C
- 3.ïWhich one of the following sentences contains three
- helping verbs and one main verb?
-
- A)ïAm I jumping correctly over the hurdle?
- B)ïJacqueline should have been entering the monastery on time.
- C)ïI have lifted many logs.
- D)ïå
- #ü ╢Should, have, ╗and ╢been╗ are three helping verbs in front of
- #the main verb ╢entering.╗ï╖Am╗ is a helping verb, and ╢╖jumping╗ is the
- #main verb in another sentence.ïNotice that the pronoun ╖I╗ comes
- between the helping verb and the main verb.ïAny noun or pronoun
- can be placed between a helping verb and the main verb if the
- sentence asks a question.ïThe last sentence contains the helping
- #verb ╖have╗, directly in front of the main verb ╖lifted.╗
- Ç B
- 4.ïWhich one of the following sentences contains no helping
- verbs?
-
- A)ïA famous philosopher once said, "I think; therefore I am."
- B)ïAre you planning a surprise party?
- C)ïHe does stray far from the truth.
- D)ïå
- ü
- #êï╢╗The only sentence without a helping verb has three main
- #verbs: ╢said, think, ╗and ╢am.╗ïNotice that ╢am╗ in this context is not
- #╖╗a helping verb because it stands by itself.ïThe other two sentences
- #╖╗each have one helping verb: ╖are╗ is the helping verb in front of the
- #main verb ╖ planning.╗ Does is the helping verb in front of the main
- #verb ╕stray╗.
- Ç A
- 5.ïWhich one of the following sentences contains only one
- helping verb?
-
- A)ïThese magazines have been read frequently.
- B)ïMust you be going now?
- C)ïHe must have been explaining his policy to Charlie.
- D)ïå
- ü
- #êïAll the sentences have at least two helping verbs.ï╖Have been
- #╗comes before the main verb ╖read; ╖must ╗and ╖be╗ are helping verbs
- #╗╗att╗ached to ╖going,╗ the main verb; and the helping verbs ╖must h╖ave
- #╖been ╗introduce the main verb ╖explaining.╗
- Ç D
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