helping verb

English

Noun

helping verb (plural helping verbs)

1. (grammar) An auxiliary verb; a verb that accompanies the main verb in a clause.
   • 1814, Lindley Murray, The Young Man's Best Companion: And Book of General Knowledge‎^[1]:

     Such verbs as can be formed through the present and past times without the aid of any of these helping verbs, are called principal verbs, and are formed thus:

Usage notes

Chiefly used in teaching grammar to children and English language learners rather than in academic linguistics.

Translations

auxiliary verb — see auxiliary verb