Auxiliary or Main Verb Exercise (Helping Verbs or Main Verbs)

A verb may be more than one word. The main verb is the most important verb. The helping verb comes before it.

Some Common Helping Verbs

am was has

is were have

are will had

The main verbs below are in bold print. Helping verbs are in italics.

Alfredo is training for the Olympics.

He has run five miles each day.

His coach will help him next week.

EXERCISES
In each sentence, underline the helping verb and highlight the main verb.

EXAMPLE: I am reading about the Junior Olympics.

1. She was racing in a wheelchair race.

2. Sarah had joined the Wheelchair Athlete Club.

3. The racers were using special racing wheelchairs.

4. They are training several times a week.

5. They have lifted weights too.

6. Sarah has raced for several years.

7. She will race many more times.

8. She is practicing for next year’s Olympics.

9. The Junior Olympics are held every summer.

10. The games were started in 1967.

Choose if main verb or auxiliary verb.

1. They are teachers.

2. I will tell her the truth.

3. I don't know your phone number.

4. Have you done the washing up yet?

5. They were sleeping in their beds when you called.

6. I have never seen a lion this big before.

7. Does your father wake up early everyday?

8. I have two brothers and a sister.

9. You should definitely see this movie.

10. This book was written in 1950s.

11. I do trust you but you still shouldn't go to that party.

12. I do homework every night.

13. You must learn English before you go to Chicago.

Fill in the Prefixes.

Bank of Prefixes:

de- dis- ex- im- in- mis- non-

pre- pro- re- un- uni-

Use the bank of prefixes to complete each word. There may be more than one answer for some words.

____ honest ____ well ____ behave

____ agree ____ kind ____ trust

____ tidy ____ obey ____ please

___ possible ____ appear ____ connect

____ pair ____ allow ____ friendly

____ wind ____ serve ____ chief

____ duce ____ pert ____ corn

____ hale ____ proper ____ ject

____ certain ____ lead ____ pel

____ fect ____ vise ____ fess