A. List the verbs or verb phrases in the sentences, and tell whether they are action verbs or state of being verbs. For extra credit, find the helping verbs.

1. Jim plays basketball.
2. They will return on the airplane.
3. Badger is a funny dog.
4. I have been here a long time.
5. I should have been playing the drum.
6. Go home.

B. List the 23 helping verbs.

Group 1 __________, __________, __________, __________,

__________, __________, __________, __________

Group 2 __________, __________, __________

Group 3 __________, __________, __________

Group 4 __________, __________, __________

Group 5 __________, __________, __________, __________, __________

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Answers:
1. plays - action
2. will return - action
3. is - linking or state of being
4. have been - state of being
5. should have been playing - action
6. go - action

The helping verbs are will, have, should, have, and been. The been in sentence 4 is not a helping verb because it is the main verb. The last verb in a verb phrase is always the main verb.

There are twenty-three (23) helping verbs that should be memorized since they are used so often. If you memorize them, it will make knowing and understanding verbs much easier. They are usually grouped in the following five groups:

Group 1: is, am, are, was, were, be, being, been

Group 2: has, have, had

Group 3: do, does, did

Group 4: shall, will, should, would

Group 5: may, might, must, can, could

Some of the helping verbs can be used alone as the main verb. Is, am, are, was, and were can be used alone as linking or state of being verbs. Has, have, had, do, does, and did always show action when used alone. Be, being, and been can be used with other verbs either to show action or state of being. The other helping verbs cannot be used alone but only as helping verbs.