Basic Helping Verbs Guide: Was vs. Were, Has vs. Have & More

Mastering the basic auxiliary verbs is essential for ESL students and English learners. This lesson will enable you to understand the basic helping verb (auxiliary verb) groups: is/are/am, do/does, was/were, and has/have, as these verbs are fundamental in constructing sentences to be used in different tenses and contexts.

This article will help you understand the difference between four basic helping verb groups: is/are/am, do/does, was/were, and has/have. These basic helping verbs are important for constructing sentences in different tenses and contexts.

1. How to Use: Am – Is – Are

These verbs are forms of the verb “to be” and are used in the present tense. Their usage depends on the subject:

• I am
• You are
• He/She/It is
• We are
• They are

Here are example sentences using am, is, are with all pronouns in positive, negative, and question forms.

1. I

   • I am a student.

   • I am not hungry.

   • Am I late?

2. You

   • You are my best friend.

   • You are not tired. (or: You aren’t tired.)

   • Are you ready?

3. He

   • He is a good singer.

   • He is not at home. (or: He isn’t at home.)

   • Is he coming with us?

4. She

   • She is very kind.

   • She is not in the office today. (or: She isn’t in the office.)

   • Is she your sister?

5. It

   • It is a sunny day.

   • It is not cold outside. (or: It isn’t cold outside.)

   • Is it raining?

6. We

   • We are happy.

   • We are not going to the park. (or: We aren’t going.)

   • Are we on the right bus?

7. You (plural)

   • You are my classmates.

   • You are not late. (or: You aren’t late.)

   • Are you enjoying the movie?

8. They

   • They are in the garden.

   • They are not at work. (or: They aren’t at work.)

   • Are they coming to the party?

2. How to Use: Do/Does

“Do” and “does” are auxiliary verbs used in the present tense for questions, negatives, and emphatic sentences. “Does” is used with singular third-person subjects (he, she, it), while “do” is used with all other subjects.

• I/You/We/They do
• He/She/It does

Here are example sentences using do and does with all pronouns in positive, negative, and question forms.

1. I

• • I do my best in school.

  • I do not eat meat. (or: I don’t eat meat.)

  • Do I need to bring my book?

2. You

• • You do great work.

  • You do not need help. (or: You don’t need help.)

  • Do you like reading?

3. We

• • We do our homework on time.

  • We do not watch horror movies. (or: We don’t watch horror movies.)

  • Do we have a test tomorrow?

4. They

• • They do their jobs well.

  • They do not go to the gym. (or: They don’t go to the gym.)

  • Do they speak English?

5. He

• • He does his homework every day.

  • He does not like coffee. (or: He doesn’t like coffee.)

  • Does he play football?

6. She

• • She does her job well.

  • She does not watch TV. (or: She doesn’t watch TV.)

  • Does she live near here?

7. It

• • It does make a difference.

  • It does not work properly. (or: It doesn’t work properly.)

  • Does it taste good?

3. How to Use: Was/Were

“Was” and “were” are past tense forms of the verb “to be.” Use “was” with singular subjects (except “you”) and “were” with plural subjects and “you.”

• I/He/She/It was
• You/We/They were

Here are example sentences using was and were with all pronouns in positive, negative, and question forms:

1. I

   • I was at the party yesterday.

   • I was not feeling well. (or: I wasn’t feeling well.)

   • Was I late for the meeting?

2. He

   • He was a great athlete in school.

   • He was not happy with the results. (or: He wasn’t happy.)

   • Was he at the event?

3. She

   • She was my teacher last year.

   • She was not at work yesterday. (or: She wasn’t at work.)

   • Was she surprised by the news?

4. It

   • It was a wonderful experience.

   • It was not easy to finish the project. (or: It wasn’t easy.)

   • Was it your idea?

5. We

   • We were at the beach all day.

   • We were not able to attend the meeting. (or: We weren’t able.)

   • Were we supposed to bring our laptops?

6. You (plural)

   • You were all great during the presentation.

   • You were not here earlier. (or: You weren’t here.)

   • Were you at the concert last night?

7. They

   • They were happy with the results.

   • They were not interested in the proposal. (or: They weren’t interested.)

   • Were they excited about the trip?

4. How to Use: Has/Have

“Has” and “have” are forms of the verb “to have” and are used in the present tense. “Has” is used with singular third-person subjects, while “have” is used with all other subjects.

• I/You/We/They have
• He/She/It has

Here are example sentences using have and has with all pronouns in positive, negative, and question forms:

1. I

   • I have finished my homework.

   • I have not seen that movie. (or: I haven’t seen that movie.)

   • Have I missed anything?

2. He

   • He has a new car.

   • He has not completed the project. (or: He hasn’t completed the project.)

   • Has he arrived yet?

3. She

   • She has a lot of friends.

   • She has not been to Paris. (or: She hasn’t been to Paris.)

   • Has she left already?

4. It

   • It has been raining all day.

   • It has not been an easy task. (or: It hasn’t been easy.)

   • Has it stopped snowing?

Plural & “You/I” Pronouns (Use “have”)

5. I

   • I have seen that movie before.

   • I have not heard from her. (or: I haven’t heard from her.)

   • Have I done something wrong?

6. You

   • You have a beautiful voice.

   • You have not finished your work yet. (or: You haven’t finished your work yet.)

   • Have you been to the new restaurant?

7. We

   • We have visited that place many times.

   • We have not made a decision yet. (or: We haven’t made a decision yet.)

   • Have we received the package?

8. They

   • They have completed the assignment.

   • They have not spoken to me. (or: They haven’t spoken to me.)

   • Have they left the office already?

Common Mistakes to Avoid

1. Mixing up singular and plural forms:
   • Incorrect: She do her homework.
   • Correct: She does her homework.
2. Using “was” instead of “were” with plural subjects:
   • Incorrect: They was happy.
   • Correct: They were happy.
3. Forgetting the correct verb form for “has” and “have”:
   • Incorrect: He have a car.
   • Correct: He has a car.

Summary Table

Practice Exercises

1. Fill in the blanks with the correct form of the verb:
   • She … (is/are) a teacher.
   • They … (do/does) their chores every morning.
   • I … (was/were) at home last night.
   • He … (has/have) a pet dog.
2. Rewrite the following sentences correctly:
   • He do not like apples.
   • You was late for the meeting.
   • They has a big house.