Linking and helping auxiliary verbs are vital element of english grammar. Linking verbs links the description of subject while helping verbs help main verb to perform action. In this blog, I’m going to explain the correct use of linking and helping verbs in detail.
Understanding linking and helping verbs in terms of types, rules and examples
Verbs that help to construct proper sense of meaning with main verbs in the sentence or clause are known as Helping verbs.
And, verbs which describe state, nature, condition, relationship of subject in the form of subject complements are labelled as Linking verbs.
Rules and classification of linking and helping verbs
English language is so complex system of communication. It is full of rules and regulations. Hence, without proper and practical examples, it is hard to grasp. Here too, we need to understand the rules and examples of linking and helping verbs.
Now, let’s see some major rules and examples of linking and helping verbs used in day-to-day activities and conversations.
First of all, I’m going to explain the rules of usages for linking auxiliary verbs.
Useful rules of linking verbs
There are two types of auxiliary verbs in english grammar. One is linking verbs and second is helping auxiliaries.
Himalaya is the product of collision of tectonic plates. (linking verb)
Tectonic plates are still colliding under the Himalayan regions. (helping verb)
Linking auxiliary verbs are mainly used to describe the state, nature, condition and relationship.
List of linking verbs “Be” and non – to be.
| To be as linking verbs | Non-to be as linking verbs |
| am | appear, look, seem |
| is | feel, sound, taste, smell |
| are | prove |
| was | become |
| were | grow |
| will be | remain, stay |
| be | turn |
| been, being |
Table 1. List of linking verbs.
- Himalaya is a folded mountain. (Nature of Himalaya – folded)
- She is a sensitive student(Nature of she – sensitive)
- The tower seems tilted. (Condition of tower – tilted)
These verbs describe what the subject is and how does it look like
- Spicy brinjal tastes delicious.(delicious)
- I think she looks uncomfortable there. (uncomfortable)
They are linking rode between subject and its description in the form of subject complements. Largely, used in the simple present tense and simple past.
- Once, they were great fighters.(were – simple past)
- Jack proves his claim. (proves – simple present)
Due to affinity of adjective, they are termed as copular verbs.
- She remains mute spectators there. (mute – adjective)
- They appear optionless now. (optionless – adjective)
Linking subject to the rest of the sentence is the principal function of these verbs.Primary auxiliary verbs “to be” play both functions – linking and helping verbs.
Rules for helping verbs
Helping verbs are two types —
- Primary helping
- Secondary helping verbs.
Primary auxiliary verbs include, to be, to do, and Have.
List of helping auxiliaries
| To be | To do | To have |
| am | do | have |
| is | does | has |
| are | did | had |
| was | ||
| were | ||
| will be | ||
| be, being | ||
| been |
Table 2. Primary helping verbs.
Secondary helping auxiliaries
| can | could |
| shall | should |
| may | might |
| must | used to |
| need to, etc. |
Table 3. Secondary helping auxiliaries.
Only primary auxiliary verbs ” To do, to have, to be” have conjugated forms.
Basically, secondary auxiliaries do not conjugate. This is all about the rules and examples of linking and helping verbs.
Auxiliary verbs are the most vital elements of english grammar. They help or add functional meaning to the main verb and have many types and functions to play.
Usually, auxiliary verbs are used to create tense, mood, and voices without having any semantic meaning. Here, you will know about linking and helping verbs in detail.
Examples of linking and helping verbs in sentence
- Andy is a natural actor.
- He can drive a sport car.
- Andy has a sports car.
- He has written a fantastic story.
- You look bored today. Isn’t it
- She seems satisfied with this package.
In the above examples, “Is, look, and seems” are used as linking verbs to describe —
- Fact,
- Condition
- State.
Whereas, “can and has” are in the role of helping verbs. “Has” is used as a main verb to describe actions.
In short, above examples are of auxiliary verbs that are used to express state, condition, action, and mood.
Explaining meaning of linking and helping verbs
Before to proceed further, let’s understand the simple meaning and definition of linking and helping auxiliary verbs.
Linking verbs are the most common auxiliary verbs that used to describe state, fact, condition.
1.Dog looks so irritated.
2.Sky is clear and clean today.
3.Once, she was our inspiration.
- Looks
- Is, and
- Was
These are linking verbs used to describe “dog, sky, and she.These do not possess syntactic meaning but links two grammatical units – subject and complements.
- Sara is a famous actor.
- She looks gorgeous today.
Sara (subject) + is (linking verb) + a famous actor (subject complements)
“She (subject) + looks (linking verb) + gorgeous today (subject complement)”.
Contrarily, helping verbs help to main verb in performing actions as catalyst.
Besides, creation of tense, and voice are prime functions of helping verbs.
- Henry is riding his bike.(tense)
- He has been advised by his father. (passive voice)
Most importantly, some helping verbs play the role of main verbs as well.
- Justin has an idea for success. (Auxiliary verb as main verb)
- He does his homework daily. (Auxiliary verb as main verb)
Surely, these definitions would help you lot in forming sentences with these auxiliaries.
Functions Of Linking And Helping Verbs
Linking and helping verbs play various functions like to express state, condition or to help main verb to perform actions. Through the following analysis, you will learn the basic functions of linking and helping verbs.
- “Steven looks awesome while playing test.
- He is a great Australian player.
- And, he has experience of playing all three formats.
- Now, this player has developed an unorthodox technique of playing game.
- Like other great cricketing stalverts, he can play anywhere.
- In world, he has been appreciated by great legends”.
Function of Linking verbs with analysis
1.Steven looks awesome while playing test.
- Steven – subject, agent
- Looks – linking verb – (links description of subject)
- Awesome – is an predicate adjective – (subject complements)
- While playing test – prepositional phrase – (adverbial complements)
- Function of linking verb – describes state, mood, and condition.
2. He is a great Australian player.
- He – third person personal pronoun – subject.
- Is – linking verb – links subject to description.
- A great Australian player – subject complement.
- Function – to form a mood by describing a fact.
Primary auxiliary as main and helping verbs
3. He has an experience of playing all three formats.
- He – subject /agent
- Has – main verb – main verb to possess sth.
- Experience – what he possess? – object.
- Of playing all three formats – prepositional phrase – object complement.
- Function of helping verbs – main verb to describe actions..
4. This player has developed an unorthodox technique of playing game.
- This player – noun phrase – subject, agent, doer.
- Has – helping verb – helps to form actions.
- Developed – main verb (stative verbs)
- An unorthodox technique – object, affected thing.
- Of playing game – object complement (purpose)
- Function of helping verbs – to help main verb to make happen sth.
Function of secondary helping verbs
5. He can play anywhere.He – subject, agent.
- Can – modal helping verb.
- Play – main verb.Anywhere – adverb – adverbial complement.
- Function – helping auxiliaries.
- Function of helping verbs changing “Voice”.
6. He has been appreciated by great legends.
- He – third person -subject, but, receiver.
- Has been – first and second auxiliary verbs.
- Appreciated – third form of verb – past participle.
- By great legends – prepositional phrase – doer, agent.
- Function – to form different voices – passive voice.
Above six examples manifest the role and functions of linking and helping verbs.
Conjugated forms of auxiliaries.
“Be, Do, Have” are many Conjugated forms.
Three types of moods – Indicative, imperative and subjunctive are formed by secondary or modal auxiliary verbs.
Twelve active voice and eight passive voice forms are formed with auxiliary verbs.
Understanding Conjugation Of Primary Auxiliaries
In auxiliaries, only primary auxiliaries have conjugated forms as per person, number, and tense in given sentence. For clear insight, conjugation of primary auxiliaries are given and discussed here.
List of conjugation of primary auxiliaries
Except to be, “Do and Have” can be conjugated in different forms.“Be” has seven conjunctive forms. Let’s see the conjugated forms of Be, Do, and Have.
| No | Conjugation forms “Be” | Person/Tense |
| 1 | be | base form |
| 2 | am | first person singular/present |
| 3 | is | third person singular/present |
| 4 | are | first person plural, third person plural, second person/present tense |
| 5 | was | first and third person singular/past tense |
| 6 | were | first and third person plural/second person singular, plural/past tense |
| 7 | been/being | past participle and present participle |
| No | Do conjugations | person/tense |
| 1 | do | base/present |
| 2 | does | third person singular/present |
| 3 | did | all persons/past tense |
| No | Have conjugations | person/tense |
| 1 | have, has, having, had | has -first and third person. Have-first and third person singular/plural. Had-past tense. |
Table 4. Conjugated form of (be, do, and have) primary auxiliary verbs
Do is conjugated as do, does did. And, have is conjugated as has, have, having and had.
Examples of conjugation of primary auxiliaries.
Following examples of primary verbs would help you further understanding linking and helping verbs..
- I request that you Be on time there.
- I am a dedicated employee for years.
- She is preparing her project now.
- They are working to complete before Sunday.
- I was instructing students when you called me.
- Really, she was busy yesterday.
- They were urging for leave on Tuesday.
- You do not know what was happened.
- I didn’t aware about his decision.
- He has already applied for a job.
- They have just arrived here.
- If I had that much of resources, I would have helped many orphaned children to take education.
Helping verbs are used for what the subject does instead what does it look like.
- John is planting a tree in his garden.
- He has already completed his daily assignment.
- She will be working there by the time of early morning.
Helping verbs are used to form tenses and voices
For tense, helping verbs form twelve sub types of active tense and eight types of passive voices.
Modal helping verbs describe various moods and modalities as well.
Short summary of linking and helping verbs
Linking and helping verbs are vital element of english language.
To link subject description to the subject, linking verbs act like linking rode.
Like helping auxiliaries, linking verbs do not help main verb to perform action.
Helping verbs have two types. They are primary and secondary auxiliaries.
Primary helping verbs “Do, Be, Have” are conjugated forms. Secondary auxiliary verbs or modal verbs do not conjugate like primary helping verbs.
Secondary helping verbs or modal verbs play vital role in formation of Three types of moods.
Types of Moods are Indicative, imperative and subjunctive.
Explaining role of complements
Describing subject verb agreement
Primary and secondary securities