CEClang.83
TITLE: Appropriate Use of Helping Verbs
AUTHOR: Denise DeMille, North Sevier Middle School;
Salina, Utah
GRADE LEVEL: Could be used in English, Resource Class,
or any class that the student is required to write.
Appropriate for any age where the child is having
problems using the verbs correctly.
OVERVIEW: One of the most commonly made error in
grammar is the inappropriate use of verbs which have a
helping verb. Since it is very difficult for many
students, especially special needs students, to
remember which form of the verb to use with the helping
verb, teaching them a contrived trick often helps them
choose the correct form. (Example: The use of "I seen
him" rather than "I saw him", or "I have seen him.")
PURPOSE: The purpose is to help students easily learn
to correctly use appropriate verbs in their speech and
writing.
OBJECTIVES:
1. The students will recognize the helping verbs.
2. The students will use the correct verb form with
the helping verbs.
ACTIVITIES AND PROCEDURES:
1. Write the following verbs on the board.
wrote written
saw seen
froze frozen
fell fallen
chose chosen
rode ridden
wore worn
took taken
did done
broke broken
ate eaten
gave given
grew grown
knew known
rose risen
spoke spoken
stole stolen
threw thrown
2. Have the students use each verb on the list on the
left by making a sentence which starts
"I . . .
(Example: I wrote a story for English).
Write the sentences on the board.
3. Discuss how the sentence can also be expressed
with the use of helping verbs and then read each
sentence, replacing the verb with the helping verb
have and the appropriate form of the verb from the
right column. (Example: I have written a story for
English.)
4. Explain that when a helping verb is used, the form
of the verb must change and often it is hard to
remember the appropriate form. Give examples of
common local errors. Write a list of helping verbs
such as have been, is, are, was, etc. on the
board. Tell them that you are going to teach them
a special trick which will help them use the
correct form.
5. Have the students study the column of verbs on the
right side of the board and determine what all
these forms have in common and how they are
different from the verbs in the left column. They
will notice that every verb has an N in it. All
the verbs in the right column have a "crippled N"
and need a helping crutch, the helping verb. Have
them come up with a helping verb for each
"crippled N" verb. Demonstrate each verb by using
both forms. (Example: You wouldn't say, I written
a story for English. Neither would you say I have
wrote a story for English. Wrote has no "crippled
N" and needs no crutch.
6. Write the following on the board.
ran run
became become
began begun
came come
drank drunk
rang rung
sang sung
7. Explain that sometimes neither of the forms has an
N or both do. Ask the students to find what all
the verbs on the right have in common. They
should notice that they all have the "Duh" sound
in them. These words also need help. Give examples
of each.
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John Kurilecjmk@ofcn.org