Is "were" a helping verb in "You five were inseparable."?

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Anonymous · Accepted Answer

Zoltán KirályIs "were" a helping verb in "You five were inseparable."?

No. It is the main verb "to be".

AlpheccaStars · Answer

You five were called inseparable. (helping verb)
You five were inseparable. (main verb)

CalifJim · Answer

Zoltán Király
Is "were" a helping verb in "You five were inseparable."?

A helping verb (i.e., an auxiliary verb) is a verb that is used with another verb. There is no other verb in that sentence. "inseparable" is certainly not a verb, for example. In English there is no "I inseparable; You inseparable; He inseparables; I inseparabled; ...".

So "were" cannot possibly be a helping verb in the given sentence.

The only way a form of be, such as "were", can be an auxiliary verb is if it's followed by a present or past participle of another verb.

We were going to the airport when the accident happened.
All the buildings were destroyed by bombs.

CJ

Is "were" a helping verb in "You five were inseparable."?

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