Instructions: List the verb phrases in the followingsentences.
1. My wife is readingin the hammock under the tree.
2. The message can'tbe altered.
3. Somewhere a partyis being planned.
4. Shouldn't I be aclown for Halloween?
5. I've run out oftime.
Now write down asmany of the twenty-three helping verbs as you can.
Answers:
1. is reading
2. can be altered
3. is being planned
4. should be
5. 've (have) run
The twenty-threehelping verbs are is, am, are,was, were, be, being, been, have, has, had, do, does, did, shall, will, should,would, may, might, must, can, and could.