Helping Verbs for Kids — Is, Am, Are, Can, Must & More!
A helping verb HELPS the main verb do its job! In ‘She IS playing,’ IS is the helping verb and PLAYING is the main verb. Without the helper, you’d say ‘She playing’ ❌ — which is a very common Indian English error!
Updated: June 8, 2026 · ⏱️ 15 min · Page 7/23 · ⭐⭐ Grade 3-5
🔵 Primary Helping Verbs
be forms: is am are was were been being
Use: Continuous tense + Passive voice
She is playing. The cake was eaten.
have forms: has have had
Use: Perfect tenses
She has finished. They have gone.
do forms: do does did
Use: Questions + Negatives + Emphasis
Does he play? I did not go.
🟠 Modal Helping Verbs
can/could — Ability/Permission
I can swim. Could I borrow your pen?
may/might — Permission/Possibility
May I come in? It might rain today.
shall/should — Suggestion/Advice/Duty
Shall we go? You should study harder.
will/would — Future/Polite request
I will come tomorrow. Would you like some chai?
must — Necessity/Obligation
You must wear uniform. I must finish homework.
📖 Practice Sentences (12)
- Aarav is playing cricket with his friends right now.
- Priya has completed her homework before dinner.
- Does Rahul know the answer to this question?
- You should always speak the truth.
- Meera can speak three languages — Hindi, English, and Tamil!
- The students were listening to the teacher carefully.
- May I go to the washroom, Ma’am?
- We must respect our elders and teachers.
- I did not understand the maths problem.
- The mangoes have been eaten by the monkeys!
- Will you come to my birthday party next Sunday?
- She could not find her lost water bottle.
🇮🇳 Hindi Comparison
Hindi verbs work differently — ‘वह खेल रहा है’ (he playing is) puts the helper at the END. English puts it BEFORE: ‘He IS playing.’ Also, Indian kids often DROP the helping verb: ‘She playing’ ❌ (missing IS) because Hindi structure doesn’t always need it.
✏️ Fill in the Blank (15)
⚠️ Common Mistakes
❓ Quiz (12)
🤓 Fun Facts
People Also Ask
What is a helping verb?
A verb that helps the main verb form tenses, questions, negatives, or passive voice. ‘She IS playing’ — IS helps PLAYING.
What’s the difference between primary and modal?
Primary (is/has/do) form tenses. Modal (can/must/should) show ability, permission, necessity, or advice.
Why do Indian kids drop helping verbs?
Hindi puts helpers at the end or drops them. ‘She playing’ follows Hindi structure. English needs IS: ‘She IS playing.’
👨👩👧 Parent Tips
- 1. 🎯 Spot missing helpers: when child says ‘She playing,’ ask ‘She IS playing — what’s missing?’
- 2. 📋 Chart: Primary helpers (is/am/are/has/have/do) on one side, Modal (can/must/should) on other
- 3. 🏏 Cricket context: ‘He IS batting. She CAN bowl fast. They HAVE won!’
- 4. ❌ Common fix: ‘can to swim’ → ‘can swim’ — no ‘to’ after modals!
- 5. 📝 Daily: write 3 sentences with primary helpers + 3 with modal helpers
- 6. 🎵 Chant: ‘Is-am-are, was-were-been, has-have-had, do-does-did!’
- 7. 🔗 Connect to Tenses: helpers BUILD tenses — IS+ing=continuous, HAS+V3=perfect
❓ FAQ (6)
What is a helping verb?
A verb that helps the main verb form tenses, questions, negatives, or passive voice. ‘She IS playing’ — IS helps PLAYING.
What’s the difference between primary and modal?
Primary (is/has/do) form tenses. Modal (can/must/should) show ability, permission, necessity, or advice.
Why do Indian kids drop helping verbs?
Hindi puts helpers at the end or drops them. ‘She playing’ follows Hindi structure. English needs IS: ‘She IS playing.’
Can I use ‘to’ after modal verbs?
NO! ‘Can swim’ ✅ not ‘can to swim’ ❌. Exception: ‘ought to’ and ‘have to’ DO use ‘to.’
How many helping verbs exist?
23 total: be-forms (7), have-forms (3), do-forms (3), modals (10: can, could, may, might, shall, should, will, would, must, ought to).
Is this tested in CBSE?
Yes! Fill-in-blank with helping verbs, error correction (missing helpers), and modal usage are common exam questions.