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.