Verb Phrase

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DEFINITION OF VERB PHRASE

A verb phrase is a collection of verbs that act or represent themselves as verbs. Verb phrases consist of an auxiliary or helping verb and a main verb. The helping verb always precedes the main verb.

For example:

The author is writing a new book.
I must make an "A" in this class.
The dog might eat the cake.
He was walking to work today.

OBSERVING

Look at the pictures below.

Picture 1

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Picture 2

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Picture 3

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Picture 4

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After observing at the pictures above, do you know what verb phrases are?

GRAMMATICAL STRUCTURE OF VERB PHRASE

In English grammar, common verb phrases consist of a main verb and a helping verb, as in the sentence “She is going to class.” Here, “going” is the main verb while “is” operates as a helping verb to define the tense of the sentence. The following are the components of a structure verb phrase:

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⏩ Main Verb

Main verb is the main word of the verb phrase which is usually the most commonly used.

⏩ Helping Verb

1. Auxiliary verbs are helping verbs that include:

forms of be, such as (is, am, are, was, were, been, and being)
forms of do, such as (do, does, and did)
forms of have, such as (have, has, and had)

2. Modal verbs are another kind of helping verb. These verbs express possibility, obligation and suggestions. They include:

can
could
ought
may
might
must
should
will
would

3. Present participle, the characteristic of this present participle is that the verb ends with the suffix –ing. For example: running, studying, and sleeping.

4. Past participle, this verb is in the past form (a verb used for events in the past). For example: written and visited.

THE FUNCTION OF VERB PHRASE

The functions of verb phrase are:

1. Verbs Phrase as Predicates

A clause is defined as a grammatical structure that consists of a subject and a predicate.

We have eaten all the pie.

In this sentence, “have eaten” is the verb phrase. Its function in the sentence as the predicate.

2. Verbs Phrase as Subject Complement

Her favorite activity is reading about history.

Here “is reading” is the verb phrase, and “about history” is a subject compliment.

3. Verbs Phrase as Objective Phrase Compliment

He is interested in playing new games.

In this sentence, the verb phrase “is interested,” is functioning as an objective phrase compliment “in playing new games.”

EXAMPLE OF VERB PHRASE

⏩ Main Verb

	main verb
We	are	here
I	like	it
Everybody	saw	the accident
We	laughed

The verb can be in the present tense (are, like) or the past tense (saw, laughed).

⏩ The auxiliary verb be and a main verb in the –ing form:

	auxiliary be	main verb (-ing form)
Everybody	is	watching
We	were	laughing

A verb phrase with be and –ing expresses continuous aspect. A verb with am/is/are expresses present continuous and a verb with was/were expresses past continuous.

⏩ The auxiliary verb have and a main verb in the past participle form:

	auxiliary have	main verb (past participle)
They	have	enjoyed
Everybody	has	worked
He	had	finished

A verb phrase with have and the past participle expresses perfect aspect. A verb with have/has expresses present perfect and a verb with had expresses past perfect.

⏩ A modal verb (can, could, may, might, must, shall, should, will, would) and a main verb:

	modal verb	main verb
They	will	come
He	might	come

Some sentences will feature a subject or a modifier placed in between helping verbs and main verbs. Note that the subject or modifier is not considered part of the verb phrase.

Here is the explanation.

⏩ Do you think she will join us?

(Do think is the verb phrase. Do is the helping verb, and think is the main verb. You is a pronoun functioning as a subject. It is not part of the verb phrase.)

⏩ Could Andre bring us our coats?

(Could bring is the verb phrase. Could is the helping verb, and bring is the main verb. Elizabeth is a noun functioning as a subject. It is not part of the verb phrase.)

⏩ Due to the extreme heat, we did not go to the beach.

(Did go is the verb phrase. Did is the helping verb, and go is the main verb. Not is an adverb and is not part of the verb phrase.)

⏩ Clara will soon have her dream job.

(Will have is the verb phrase. Will is the helping verb, and have is the main verb. Soon is an adverb and is not part of the verb phrase.)