VERB PHRASES
WHAT IS A VERB PHRASE?
A verb phrase consists of a verb plus another word that further illustrates the verb tense, action, and tone. The
other word or words tied to a verb in a verb phrase are its dependents, which can be adverbs, prepositional
phrases, helping verbs, or other modifiers. Together, this group of words defines the intention and timing of the
action of the verb.
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.
STRUCTURE OF A VERB PHRASE
Verbs in the past or present tense do not rely on verb
phrases. Simple sentences in the present (“He runs.”)
or past tense (“They lied.”) only need a subject and
verb. Sentences in other tenses or that are more
dynamic necessitate a verb phrase, which features
different parts of speech or elements, including:
1.
2.
3.
4.
Adverbs: Adverbs modify verbs and, when paired with them, create a verb phrase. The use of
“reads” and “quickly” create a verb phrase in the sentence, “For a second-grader, he reads
quickly.”
Prepositional phrases: Prepositional phrases can further qualify the action of a verb, as in “The
scared couple hiked the trail in the dark and through the snow.” In this sentence, two
prepositional phrases, “in the dark” and “through the snow,” modify the single verb (“hiked”) that
belongs to the noun phrase (“the scared couple”).
Helping verbs: The structure of verb phrases is often dependent on helping verbs, also called
linking verbs or auxiliary verbs. These helping verbs take on different forms of “to have” (“She
has eaten.”), “to be” (“They are waiting.”), and “to do” (“She does think flamingos are pretty.”).
Modal verbs: Another kind of helping verb, modal verbs dictate conditionality. Words like “ought,”
“should,” and “may” are examples of modal auxiliary verbs, as in the sentence “My grandmother
ought to take her medicine.”
AUXILIARY VERBS
auxiliary verbs are words that join the subject with the verb phrase.They are also referred to as 'helping verbs'.
The three auxiliary verbs in English are:
●
To be - am, are, is, was, were.
●
To have - have, has, had.
●
To do - do, does, did.
In verb phrases these act as finite verbs which work with nonfinite verbs to form a sentence.Finite verbs have a past or present form and help
to convey the tense and speaker.Nonfinite verbs do not have tense and are referred to as having infinitive form.
"He is coaching the team"
This sentence uses the finite verb 'is', which indicates the present tense.The word 'coaching' acts as a participle.The verb phrase is formed by
the finite verb and the present participle (verb + -ing).
'To be' auxiliary verbs create progressive verb tenses.'To have' auxiliary verbs create perfect verb tenses.When they are combined a perfect
progressive tense is formed.
MODAL VERBS
Modal verbs are a form of auxiliary verb that express likelihood, ability, obligation and suggestion.They are also finite verbs.
They include words such as: can / could , may / might, will / would, shall / should and must .
Modal verbs are finite verbs that can establish speaker and mood:
●
It might rain tomorrow
●
Would you like some help?
●
May I ask a question?
●
He will drive home.
The first example sentence indicates the likelihood of it raining tomorrow.The second and third sentences are making a
request or suggestion.
In certain cases, a modal verb can establish tense.In the fourth example the modal verb 'will' is used to make the future tense.
TYPES OF VERB PHRASES
1.
Main verb.
●
They are here.
●
Nobody heard the alarm.
In these examples, the verb phrase consists of a main verb.The verb can be in the present or past tense.The first example
is in the present tense and the second one is in the past tense.
2.
A main verb (-ing form) and the auxiliary verb (to be).
●
Nobody is listening.
●
They were dancing.
In this case, a 'to be' verb is used with a main verb ending with '-ing', which expresses a continuous aspect when
combined.A verb with am / is / are and an '-ing' verb shows that the sentence is in the present continuous.A verb with was /
were and a '-ing' shows that the sentence is in the past continuous.
Structure: Main progressive verb + 'To be' verb.
3.
A main verb (past participle form) and the auxiliary verb (have).
●
They have relaxed all weekend.
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Nobody has tried the new flavor.
●
She had started the project.
This type of verb phrase includes a 'to have' verb and a past participle, which express a perfect aspect.The verbs have / has express a present
perfect aspect, the verb had expresses a past perfect aspect.
Structure: Main past participle verb + 'To have' verb.
4.
A main verb and a modal verb.
Typical modal verbs include must, shall, will, should, would, can, could, may , and might.
●
He will arrive.
●
They might leave.
Structure: Main verb + modal verb.
5.
A main verb (-ing form) and the auxiliary verb (have, been).
●
Nobody has been watching the show.
●
She had been dancing.
In this case, both the continuous aspect and perfect aspect are expressed.The continuous aspect comes from the '-ing'
verb and the perfect aspect comes from the 'have been' verb.
Verbs with 'have / has' express a present perfect continuous aspect.Verbs with 'had' express a past perfect continuous
aspect.
Structure: Main progressive verb + 'To have' verb + 'been' verb.
6.
The auxiliary verb (to be), a modal verb and a main verb.
●
They will be relaxing.
●
She might be watching.
Structure: Main verb + Modal verb + 'to be' verb
7.
A main verb (past participle form) and the auxiliary verb (to be).
●
Dinner was being served.
●
The show will be starting shortly.
●
The dishes have been cleaned.
A verb phrase with a 'be' verb and the past participle expresses a passive voice.
Structure: Main past participle verb + 'to be' verb.
8.
A main verb and three auxiliary verbs
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He should have been promoted this quarter.
●
They must have been working all night.
Some sentences can have three auxiliary verbs preceding the main verb.They have the structure of a modal verb + 'have' verb + 'been' verb + a
main progressive verb.It is rare to see three auxiliaries in a verb phrase but they can appear as the examples show.
Structure: Main progressive verb + Modal verb + 'have' verb + 'been' verb.
NEGATIVE AND INTERROGATIVE VERB PHRASES
I
n sentences that have a negative or interrogative nature, the verb phrase gets separated as shown in the following examples:
●
I am not driving anywhere right now
The verb phrase is 'am… driving' and the interrupter is 'not'.The auxiliary verbs in this example create a negative sentence.
●
Has he performed well this season?
The verb phrase is 'Has… performed' and the interrupter is 'he'.The auxiliary verbs in this example form an interrogative
sentence.
EMPHASISED VERB PHRASES
The auxiliary verbs 'do, does, did' can be used to add emphasis to a sentence.
●
I enjoyed the party.
●
I did enjoy the party.
The first example only includes a main verb and the second is emphasized by the
auxiliary verb 'did'.The second sentence makes it clear that the person enjoyed
the party.
EXAMPLES OF VERB PHRASES
Verb phrases are common in the English language, and their word order is key to ensuring a
sentence is grammatically correct:
1. “He has lived in New York for two years.” This sentence makes use of the present perfect
tense, and the word “has” functions as the helping verb to the main verb “lived.” In a
statement, a helping verb should always precede the main verb. In interrogative
sentences, helping verbs may come before and after the subject, as in, “How long has he
lived in New York?”
2. “I might apply to grad school.” The use of “might apply” here exemplifies a modal verb
phrase, where words like “might” show possibility.
3. “We will go to America to learn English.” Verbs outside of the past or present tense, as in
this sentence’s use of future tense, require an auxiliary verb like “will” to describe the
timing of the action.
VERB PHRASES VS VERBAL PHRASES
In traditional grammar, verb phrases demonstrate the verb’s action, while verbal phrases use verbs to
become phrases that operate as nouns, adjectives, or adverbs. Examples of verbal phrases include:
● Gerunds: Consider the example sentence “Dreaming is normal at bedtime.” The word “dreaming”
may seem like a verb, but this gerund is a noun and the subject of the sentence; the only verb in
the sentence is “is.” Gerund phrases combine other parts of speech, like prepositions, as in the
sentence, “Eating in the classroom is rude.”
● Infinitives: Infinitive phrases become the direct object of the verb and, as such, mimic a noun, as
in the sentence “After dinner, he needs to get to the train station.” Here, what precedes the
comma is a prepositional phrase while “he” is the subject, “needs” the verb, and “to get to the
train station” is the infinitive phrase.
● Participle adjectives: Participle adjectives are adjectives formed from verbs, as in the sentence,
“He rescued the stranded sailor.” “Stranded” is a past participle, but in this sentence it functions
as an adjective. Present participles can also function as verbals, as in the sentence “The losing
team has to go home.” “Losing,” a present participle that typically serves as a verb, functions
here as an adjective.
VERB PHRASES IN LITERATURE
1.
Pride and Prejudice- Jane Austen (1813) .¹
'If I had known as much this morning I certainly would not have called on him.'
In this example, the use of the auxiliary verb 'had' establishes the past aspect.There is also a verb phrase 'would ...
have' that is separated from by the interrupter 'not'.
2.Heart of Darkness- Joseph Conrad (1899) .²
'The day was ending in a serenity of still and exquisite brilliance.'
The verb phrase in this example 'was ending' is past continuous.
3.The Great Gatsby- F. Scott Fitzgerald (1925) .³
'It was a matter of chance that I should have renteda house in one of the strangest communities in North America'
In this example, two auxiliary verbs precede the main verb 'rented'.
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