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3rd Grade Helping Verbs Worksheets

Helping verbs (also called auxiliaries) adjust the main verb's time and mood: was sliding, has learned, might land, must return. Third graders identify the helper in front of the action and learn that the same word can help (is running) or link (is happy), depending on its partner.

Free printable PDF. One skill per page, answer key on page two.

Every sheet is one of a kind and prints with a version code, so you can reprint the exact same one later. New version every click.

A sample 3rd grade sheet. Yours will have different sentences. Click it to print your own.

The kind of sentences you'll get

Underline the helping verb in each sentence.

  1. Priya will kick the winning goal.

    Answer: will

  2. The artists are shading their drawings gently.
  3. The gardeners should prune the roses before the frost.

Every print draws a fresh mix of sentences at this level, so a make-up test or a second sibling gets a different sheet.

What's on each sheet

Every version prints on US Letter or A4, with its answer key on the last page.

How to teach this

The partner test resolves everything: what follows the suspect word? An action verb means it's helping (was sliding); a describing word means it's linking (was slippery). Give the modal helpers (can, must, might, should) their own attention, since they never change form and kids sometimes miss that they're verbs at all.

Watch for: The helping verb always has a partner: is running, have finished, will visit. If is stands alone before a describing word, it's a linking verb instead. Helping verbs carry the time of the sentence: was jumping is past, is jumping is now, will jump is future.

Common questions about helping verbs

Is "is" a helping verb or a linking verb?
It depends on its partner. Before an action (is running), it helps. Before a description (is tired), it links. The word after is makes the call, which is why our linking-verb and helping-verb worksheets make a good back-to-back pair at this grade.
What are modal helping verbs?
The mood-setters: can, may, might, must, should, will. They never change form and always need a main verb (must return, might land). Fourth grade standards name them directly, so meeting them here in 3rd grade puts students a step ahead.

Related worksheets

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Reviewed by the One More Sheet curriculum team. Content version 68, updated July 2026.