My head is blocked with explanations of deciding which is the main or auxiliary verb in the below sentences,?

Question

Can anyone help me understand the way of doing this in a basic form as my grammar books confuse me by expressing so many forms and tenses, im sure there can be a easier way of explaining this.

E.g. 1. She is beautiful. Main
E.g. 2. She is getting more beautiful every day. Auxiliary

3. He does his homework every night.
4. Does he work hard at school?
5. I don't like ice cream.
6. They have finished their assignment.
7. She has long, black hair.
8. Do you like opera?
9. It is a lovely day.
10. I have been learning Italian.

Answer 1

An auxiliary verb or helping verb is simply there as a tense marker, for emphasis, or to turn the statement into a question.

Examples:
She works. - the main, and only, verb is "to work"

She is working. - the main verb is still "to work"; the "is" works as a helping verb and tense marker to show that the action is ongoing in the present (present progressive).

She does work. - same main verb, with the helping verb "does" for emphasis

Does she work? - same main verb, with the helping verb "does" in order to create a question.

She was working hard. - same main verb in its present participle form, with the helping verb "was" as a tense marker to show an ongoing action in the past (past progressive)

She did work hard. - same main verb, with the helping verb "did" used as a tense marker (past emphatic)


In other words, the main verb expresses the action, while the helping verb expresses the tense of the action, emphasizes it, or puts it in question form.

The various forms of the verbs "to be" "to do" and "to have" are often used as helpling verbs, although they can stand on their own as a main verb as well.

Examples:
She is studying. - "is" is a helping verb
She is nice. - "is" is the main verb
They did their homework. - "did" is the main verb
They didn't complete their homework - "did" is a helping verb
They did not do their homework - "did" is a helping verb, "do" is the main verb.
I have work to do. - "have" is the main verb
I have finished my explanation. - "have" is the helping verb

Answer 2

So all you need to do is decide whether an auxiliary verb is being used or not, is that right? If there's one verb (e.g. #1 "is") then it's got to be the main verb. If there is more than one verb (e.g. does work, have been) then an aux is being used.
For example, look at #3. There's only one verb: "does." So "does" is the main verb. Now look at #4. The verb is "does work." In this sentence "does" is an auxiliary and "work" is the main verb.
As long as you can correctly identify the verb then the assignment is easy, really.

Answer 3

The trick is to transpose the sentences: You do like opera. (do like) it's an aux. 3. main does; 4 aux does work; 5. aux do (not) like; 6. aux have finished; 7. main has; 8. aux do like; 9. main is; 10 aux have been learning. Then it is just knowing parts of speech a verb from an adverb, adjective, etc.

Answer 4

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Answer 5

1. is (main)
2. get (main), is (aux)
3. does (main)
4. work (main), does (aux)
5. like (main), does (aux)
6. finish (main), have (aux)
7. has (main)
8. like (main), do (aux)
9. is (main)
10. learn (main), have been (aux)

The main verb is followed by non-verb items--adjectives, nouns, articles, adverbs, etc. and no other verb pieces. Any verb pieces in front of the main verb are aux

Answer 6

"He does his homework every night. "

Mmmmmm. We do his homework every night?