The McGraw-Hill College Handbook           Ex. 4.5 pages 96—97

Identifying Verbs along with Helping Verbs and Particles

  The complete verbs and verb phrases are in bold blue. Most of the main verbs below are accompanied by helping verbs or particles, which are short words that look and sound more like prepositions or adverbs than verbs. 

1. Firebombs had forced the closing of the London subway system for almost four hours.
2. Has she rebuilt the Jeep engine?
3. The Cleveland Indians have not won a World Series since Harry Truman’s administration.
4. She ought to be here any minute.
5. We send out for pizza every Saturday night.
6. Our friend Miguel Borinquen has spent Thanksgiving with us for years.
7. They should never have used up all the bok choy in the stir-fry.
8. He was regularly falling off the water skis.
9. People are moving to California every day.
10. They made out their route to northern Burma.

1. had forced: had is the helping verb.
2. Has built: Has is the helping verb.
3. have won: Have is the helping verb.
4. ought: main verb
5. send out: out is the particle.
6. has spent: has is the helping verb.
7. should have used up: should have are helping verbs; out is a particle.
8. was falling: was is the helping verb; off is a particle.
9. are moving: are is the helping verb.
10. made out: out is the particle.

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