Grammar U4W3

​Main and Helping Verbs

• Sometimes a verb may be more than one word. The main verb tells what the subject is or does. The helping verb helps the main verb show action.

• Have, has, and had can be helping verbs. Helping verbs must agree with the subject in simple and compound sentences:

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Lee and I have decided to join the tennis team.

Marley had examined the plant’s roots, and Bryan had removed its dry leaves.

​Helping Verbs

• The verb forms of be can also act as helping verbs. Is, are, am, was, were, and will can be helping verbs:

The kittens are playing with the yarn.

• The helping verb must agree with the subject of the sentence in simple and compound sentences:

The kitten is playing with the yarn.

​Quotations and Commas

• Quotation marks show that someone is speaking. They come at the beginning and end of the speaker’s exact words.

• Begin a quotation with a capital letter. Commas and periods appear inside quotation marks.

• If the end of a quotation comes at the end of a sentence, use a period, question mark, or exclamation mark to end it.

• If the sentence continues after a quotation, use a comma to close.