Auxiliary Verb Worksheets

What are Auxiliary Verbs?

Auxiliary verbs can be considered as add-ons in a clause which modify the meaning of it. They can add grammatical or functional meaning to the clause of a sentence that they appear in. Various parts of a sentence are modified by or associated with the use of an auxiliary verb. An auxiliary verb in a sentence can have its impact on the tense, modality, aspect, emphasis, voice, etc. of the sentence. Auxiliary verbs are usually written before the verb to impact the verb and tell the tense of the sentence. The main verb in a sentence represents the semantic of that clause in which it is being used. For example, if a student says that he has completed his homework, the verb is completed, and the auxiliary verb has. Here completed represents whatever the student is trying to imply, whereas has is telling about the tense in which the sentence is being said.

One of Twenty-Three

The 23 auxiliary verbs are: am, is, are; was and were; being, been, and be; have, has, had, do, does, did, will, would, shall and should; may, might, must, can, and could.

Interrogative Sentences

What finishes off each sentence.

Practice

Read each sentence below. Circle whether or not the helping verb used is correct.

Choosing

Choose the correct word to complete each sentence.

When It Happens

Choose the best word for each sentence.

Get Blank

Read each sentence below. Circle the correct helping verb to go in the blank.

Out There

Read each sentence. If the auxiliary verb used is correct, write correct on the line. If the sentence is incorrect, write the correct auxiliary verb on the line.

Using Shall, Should, Will, Would

Complete each sentence by writing one of the words in the title.

Help Me

Complete each sentence by adding one or more helping verbs that make sense.

My Favorite

Write a paragraph about your favorite activity. What is it? How long have you done it? When did you discover it? What do you hope to do in the future?

Check It

Place a check next to the correct word choice.

May and Might

Read each sentence below. Fill in the blank with may or might.

Will | Would

Would functions as the past tense of will. It functions as the conditional mood of will. It is also used to be polite. The negative of would is would not or the contraction wouldn't.

Should and Shall

Use should to express the ideal (best) action which happens in the past, present, or future. The negative of should is should not or the contraction shouldn't. Use shall to express a future action. Shall is different than will in that you use it to express an order or prophecy. The negative of shall is shall not or the contraction shan't.

Three Times

Rewrite each sentence below three times, changing the helping verb to change the meaning of the sentence.