Helping Verbs
A main verb tells the action of the subject.
A helping verb helps the main verb.
Helping verbs always come before the main verb in a
sentence.
Mom will bring an umbrella. Callie should wear her new raincoat.
The main verb and the helping verb together form the
complete verb.
Simple subject
complete verb
Callie
should wear
Mom
will bring
Helping Verbs
am
is
be
being
had
do
will
would
must
can
are
was
were
been
have
has
does
did
shall
should
may
might
could
1. I am visiting my aunt’s family.
2. My youngest cousin was born last year.
3. He is learning to walk.
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4. We have baked blueberry muffins this morning.
5. Every ingredient was measured carefully.
6. My cousin did drop one of the eggs.
7. The muffins are finished now.
muffins
are finished
8. We will eat them for breakfast.
we
will eat
9. Then we should help my aunt with the dishes.
we
should help
English 4 • Teacher Resources
Instructional Aid 30
Used with Lesson 50
Past, Present, and Future
A present-tense verb tells about something that is
happening now.
Mr. Miller’s company plants young pine trees.
A past-tense verb tells about something that has already
happened. Most past-tense verbs end in -ed.
Mr. Miller’s company planted oak trees last year.
A future-tense verb tells about something that will
happen in the future. The helping verb will is used to form
future-tense verbs.
Mr. Miller’s company will plant more trees next year.
Verb Tenses
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Present
Past
Future
talk
talked
will talk
paint
painted
will paint
wash
washed
will wash
collect
collected
will collect
roll
rolled
will roll
create
created
will create
move
moved
will move
chop
chopped
will chop
skip
skipped
will skip
carry
carried
will carry
copy
copied
will copy
stay
stayed
will stay
English 4 • Teacher Resources
Instructional Aid 31
Used with Lesson 51
Subject-Verb Agreement
Main verbs must agree with the subject of the sentence.
A singular subject requires a singular verb. In the present
tense, a singular verb form usually ends in s or es.
The tree sprouts new leaves. The tree stretches to the sky.
A plural subject, the pronouns I and you, and compound
subjects require a plural verb. In the present tense, most
plural verb forms do not end in s or es.
The trees sprout new leaves.
I walk in the woods.
The trees stretch to the sky. Caleb and Gabriel collect leaves.
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Rules for Spelling Present-Tense Verbs with Singular Subjects
Add -s to most verbs.
cut + -s = cuts
The lumberman cuts the trees.
Add -es to verbs ending in ch,
sh, s, x, or z.
buzz + -es = buzzes
crash + -es = crashes
The chain saw buzzes loudly.
The tree crashes to the ground.
Change y to i and add -es
to verbs that end with a
consonant and y.
Carry – y + i + -es = carries
The truck carries logs to the mill.
1. My brother smashes
the grapes.
smash
2. John carries
the books.
carry
3. The birds live
4. I choose
a song.
choose
5. His mother sings
sing
6. Sam and Brie play
7. Mr. Jones fixes
in the tree.
live
play
fix
8. The students enjoy
English 4 • Teacher Resources
enjoy
the song.
their instruments.
the microphone.
the music.
Instructional Aid 32
Used with Lesson 52
Underline the simple subject once and the complete verb twice.
1. I enjoy breakfast foods.
2. Mom does make pancakes sometimes.
3. This morning Dad toasted some bagels.
4. My brother and I washed the dishes.
5. We will recycle the empty milk jug.
Underline the simple subject once and the complete verb twice.
1. I enjoy breakfast foods.
2. Mom does make pancakes sometimes.
3. This morning Dad toasted some bagels.
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4. My brother and I washed the dishes.
5. We will recycle the empty milk jug.
Underline the simple subject once and the complete verb twice.
1. I enjoy breakfast foods.
2. Mom does make pancakes sometimes.
3. This morning Dad toasted some bagels.
4. My brother and I washed the dishes.
5. We will recycle the empty milk jug.
English 4 • Teacher Resources
Instructional Aid 33
Verbs Bell Ringer
Used with Lesson 54
Making Subjects and Helping Verbs Agree
Helping verbs have singular and plural forms. A helping
verb must always agree with the simple subject of the
sentence.
A singular subject needs a singular helping verb.
The squirrel has lived in this tree all summer.
A plural subject needs a plural helping verb.
Squirrels have lived in the tree every year.
The pronouns you and I are exceptions.
I have enjoyed watching the squirrel in the backyard.
You have watched with me.
Simple Subject
I
Singular
Plural and you
Present-Tense Helping
Verbs
Past-Tense Helping Verbs
have, am, do
has, is, does
have, are, do
had, was, did
had, was, did
had, were, did
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1. We (is, are) writing reports about different countries.
2. Lachlan (is, are) looking for information about Scotland.
3. His relatives (has, have) lived near Glasgow for many generations.
4. Lachlan (did, do) find a map in the atlas.
5. The map (do, does) show the small village near Glasgow.
6. Wyatt’s parents (is, are) planning a trip to Glasgow soon.
English 4 • Teacher Resources
Instructional Aid 34
Used with Lesson 55
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Chapter 5 Verb Cards
cook
cooked
will cook
decorate
decorated
will decorate
look
looked
will look
pick
picked
will pick
show
showed
will show
sprout
sprouted
will sprout
use
used
will use
work
worked
will work
English 4 • Teacher Resources
Instructional Aid 35
Introduced in Lesson 56
Irregular Verbs
Verbs that do not add -ed when changed to the past tense are called
irregular verbs.
Verb
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bring
come
do
go
make
run
say
sing
swim
tell
wear
Verb
begin
drive
eat
fall
fly
give
grow
ride
see
take
throw
write
English 4 • Teacher Resources
Present Tense
bring, brings
come, comes
do, does
go, goes
make, makes
run, runs
say, says
sing, sings
swim, swims
tell, tells
wear, wears
Present Tense
begin, begins
drive, drives
eat, eats
fall, falls
fly, flies
give, gives
grow, grows
ride, rides
see, sees
take, takes
throw, throws
write, writes
Past Tense
brought
came
did
went
made
ran
said
sang
swam
told
wore
Past Tense
began
drove
ate
fell
flew
gave
grew
rode
saw
took
threw
wrote
Verb with has,
have, or had
brought
come
done
gone
made
run
said
sung
swum
told
worn
Verb with has,
have, or had
begun
driven
eaten
fallen
flown
given
grown
ridden
seen
taken
thrown
written
Instructional Aid 36
Introduced in Lesson 56
Progressive Verbs
A progressive verb shows continuing action.
Tim is eating his lunch.
Progressive verbs can be past, present, or future tense.
Progressive verbs are written with a form of the verb be
as a helping verb and a verb that ends in -ing.
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Progressive Verbs
Present am, is, are
+ -ing verb
is eating
Past
was, were
+ -ing verb
was eating
Future
will be
+ -ing verb
will be eating
Past
1. Yesterday my mom was talking to my great aunt on the phone.
Present
2. Her family is living in Canada.
Present
3. I am looking for Ontario on a map.
Future
4. My family will be going to Canada next summer.
Future
5. We will be staying with my great aunt.
6. Ming was riding
his bicycle down the trail. Past
ride
7. I am saving
money for new roller skates. Present
save
8. Sabrina will be getting
a new book with her Christmas money. Future
9. The dog was barking
at the mail carrier. Past
get
bark
10. Mom will be baking
bake
bread for our new neighbors. Future
11. The children are hoping
hope
English 4 • Teacher Resources
for a snow storm. Present
Instructional Aid 37
Used with Lesson 58
ve
dr i
w
o
r
g
n
Game Spinner
drove
grew
nt
we
go
swum
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en
dr iv
g
ro
w
gone
sw
s
im
w
a
m
English 4 • Teacher Resources
Instructional Aid 38
Used with Lesson 59