helping verb

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noun

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QUIZ

CAN YOU ANSWER THESE COMMON GRAMMAR DEBATES?

There are grammar debates that never die; and the ones highlighted in the questions in this quiz are sure to rile everyone up once again. Do you know how to answer the questions that cause some of the greatest grammar debates?

Question 1 of 7

Which sentence is correct?

His boss, whom he admires, is waiting to meet with him about the big project.

His boss, who he admires, is waiting to meet with him about the big project.

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Origin of helping verb

First recorded in 1815–25

Words nearby helping verb

helper, helper T cell, helpful, helping, helping hand, helping verb, helpless, helpline, Helpmann, helpmate, helpmeet

How to use helping verb in a sentence

Do has been called a helping verb; but it needs little observation to discover that it is no more so than a hundred other words.
Lectures on Language|William S. Balch
The difference in time is expressed by a change in the infinitive instead of a change in the form of the helping verb.
Plain English|Marian Wharton
With may and might and can and could, present and past time are expressed by a change in the form of the helping verb.
Plain English|Marian Wharton
Often in using verb phrases, we use phrases in which the same helping verb occurs in both phrases.
Plain English|Marian Wharton

In interrogative sentences, the subject comes after the helping verb or after the interrogative used to introduce the sentence.
Plain English|Marian Wharton