There will be two skills that we are going
to discuss today.
1.
The definition of verb phrase
2.
The types of verb phrase
3.
The structure of verb phrase
4.
Meaning in the verb pharse
5.
How to use verb phrases
A.THE DEFINITION
VERB PHRASE
OF
Verbs are words that demonstrate an action, such
as sing, dance, smell, talk, and eat. When combined with
linking verbs, such as is, must, will, and has, they form verb
phrases. Verb phrases can consist of one to three linking
verbs, and action verbs, and sometimes any complements
(such as objects or direct objects).
Examples:

She smells the pizza. (verb is smells)

She can smell the pizza. (verb phrase is can smell)- can just
supporting verbs.

He appears on screen as an actor. (verb is appears)

He has appeared on screen as an actor. (verb phrase is has
appeared)

I study Italian. (verb is study)

I will have been studying Italian for three years. (verb
phrase is will have been studying)-future/continues tense
B. THE TYPES OF VERB PHRASE
There are two types of verb phrase:
1. Finite Verb Phrase
If a sentence has just one verb phrase, it is a finite verb phrase. The head verb is
finite and either comes in present or past form. For instance:
I go to college in the morning.
- A finite verb phrase can come in a main clause or a sub clause.
The police took action.
We were pleased when the police took action.
2.Nonfinite Verb Phrase
-In this type of verb phrase, the head verb is participle
(verb3), gerund, or infinitive.
She is hearing someone crying for help.
- A non-finite verb comes only in a sub clause.
We wanted the police to take action.
We approved ofthe police taking action.
We approved ofthe action taken by the police.
Verb phrase: finite + non finite
Finite: a verb that is affected by its subject or tense
Non finite: a verb that always remains the same.
Ex : Farah abandoned her old design of clothing.
The policeman avoids meeting the ex prisoner.
Avoids - finite
Common Use of Verb Phrase

Despite his knee injury, he did go to gym.
Here “did go” is a verb phrase. (aux plus link verb)

Mary is going with me to school.
“Is going” is a verb phrase. “Going” is the main verb, while “is” the helping verb.

Sara might need our help for her car.
“Might need” is a verb phrase.

Her favorite activity is reading about history.
Here “is reading” is a verb phrase, and “about history” is a subject 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.”
C. THE STRUCTURE OF VERB
PHRASE
When forming verb phrases, it’s helpful to know which verbs go in each position.
1.
Helping Verbs in Verb Phrases
Helping verbs are also known as auxiliary verbs or linking verbs. They are short words
that connect the subject with the rest of the sentence. Some examples of helping verbs
include:

forms of “to be” (am, is, are, was, were)

forms of “to have” (have, has, had)

forms of “to do” (do, does, did)
In verb phrases, these short verbs function as finite verbs, which establish tense, speaker and
mood, but don’t make sense on their own. They use nonfinite verbs to indicate what is
happening in the sentence. For example:
Tom is tutoring his brother.
The verb phrase “is tutoring” contains the finite verb “is.” It indicates that the sentence is in
present tense, the speaker is singular, and that the mood is indicative. The word “tutoring” is
a participle, which is a verb used as an adjective (“tutoring” describes Tom in this sentence).
More examples of helping verbs in verb phrases include:

I don’t know what channel the game is on.

Are you going to the dance tonight?

The doctor has taken an oath to protect her patients.
2. Modal Verbs in Verb Phrases
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.
Modal verbs are also finite verbs. They aren’t conjugated in different tenses, but they do
establish the speaker and mood. Examples of sentence verb phrases that have modal verbs
are:

You may finish your homework tomorrow.

Should we drive to the concert together?

The team must raise enough money for new uniforms this year.

Beth will buy a gift for Stephanie before the party.

Can everyone hear my instructions?
3. Main Verbs in a Verb Phrase
Now that you know how helping and modal verbs work, it’s time to look at the other part of the
verb phrase. Main verbs establish the action of the sentence. They can function on their own or
with a helping verb in a verb phrase.
Examples of the main verb from the sentences above include:

I don’t know what channel the game is on.

Are you going to the dance tonight?

The doctor has taken an oath to protect her patients.

Do you understand the essay question?

My friends are planning a surprise party for me.
Unlike helping verbs, main verbs provide more details about what the subject is doing. They
work with the helping verbs in their verb phrases to create a full picture of the sentence’s action.
D. MEANING IN THE VERB PHRASE
A NEW FLAT
Ian: How’s your new flat?
Jason: Oh, it's okay, thanks. We've been there a month now, and I think we're
going to like it. We're decorating at the moment. You must come and see us
when we've finished.
Ian: Thanks. That'd be nice. You were lucky to find somewhere.
Jason: Yes, we were getting pretty desperate. We'd been looking for ages and
couldn't find anywhere. The flat wasn't advertised. We heard about it through
a friend. It's quite convenient too. We get the train to work.
Ian: What floor is the flat on?
Jason: Well, we live right at the top, but there are onlyfourfloors.Ifthere was a
lift, it would be perfect.
1. Tense
The first word of a finite verb phrase is either present or past.
Usually the tenses mean present time and past time, 'now' and
'then'.
Present: I think we're going to like it.
We live right at the top.
Past: We heard about it through a friend.
We were getting pretty desperate.
NOTE
In some contexts the choice of present or past depends on the speaker's attitude.
Have you a moment?I want to ask you something.
Have you a moment?I wanted to ask you something.
Here the present tense is more direct. The past tense is more distant. It makes the
request
more tentative and so more polite.
2. Modal verbs
With modal verbs we can express ideas such as actions being
possible or necessary.
We couldn't find anywhere. You must come and see us.
3. The perfect
These verb phrases have perfect aspect.
We have just finished the decorating.
We have been there a month now.
We had been looking for ages.
The perfect means 'up to now' or 'up to then'. The decorating
came to an end in the period leading up to the present time.
We can sometimes choose the present perfect or the past simple,
depending on how we see the action.
We've finished the decorating. (in the period up to now)
We finished the decorating. (in the past)
4. The continuous
These verb phrases are continuous (sometimes called 'progressive').
We are decorating at the moment.
We had been looking for ages.
We were getting pretty desperate.
The continuous means 'for a period of time'. We are in the middle of decorating; the
search for the flat went on for a period of time.
Sometimes the use of the continuous depends on how we see the action. We do not
use the continuous if we see the action as complete.
Period of time: We had been looking for ages.
Complete action: We had looked everywhere.
5. The passive
We use the passive when the subject is not the agent but
what the action is directed at.
The flat wasn't advertised.
In the conversation A new flat, Jason chooses a passive
sentence here because the flat is the best subject. It relates
to what has gone before.
Identifying verb phrases is simple enough. You can use verb phrases as sentence
predicates and modifiers.
1. Verb Phrases as Sentence Predicates
A verb phrase can be the predicate of a sentence or a clause. In this case, there will usually be
a helping verb in addition to the verb. Here are some examples of a verb phrase as a
predicate:

Your teachers have finished your report card.

My sister hasn’t decided what dessert she wants.

The shoes don’t fit his feet.

I should ask the director his opinion.

We aren’t allowed to go in there.
These verb phrases follow the subject of the sentence and function as the action in the
sentence. Verb phrases can include all of these words in the predicate, or the helping and
main verb only. It depends on how the phrase is used.
Past Continuous
S + was/were + v3
Verb Phrases vs. Verbal Phrases
Verb phrases can only be used as verbs in a sentence. This
might be confusing when you see verbal phrases, which are
phrases that use verbs and the words that follow them as
nouns, adverbs and adjectives. These verbals do not show the
action of the verb; that’s the verb phrase’s job.
Verbal phrases include infinitive phrases, participial phrases and gerund phrases. Definitions and
examples of these verbal phrases include:



infinitive phrases – These phrases start with an infinitive plus a simple form of a verb. They can act
like a noun, adjective or adverb.
Example: She wanted to show off her new dress. (The phrase is the direct object of the verb
“wanted,” so it is acting like a noun.)
participial phrases – This phrase will act as an adjective and begins with a participle. A participle is
an adjective that has been made from a verb, like “talked” or “swimming.”
Example: We have to replace the window broken by the hail. (The phrase modifies the noun
"window", so it is functioning like an adjective. “Have to replace” is the verb phrase.)
gerund phrases – These phrases act like a noun and start with a verb ending with an "ing". They can
be subjects or objects.
Example: Lying to the IRS is never a good idea. (The phrase acts as the subject in this sentence.
“Is” is the only verb in this sentence.
EXERCISE
1. A verb is:
A.
a type of noun
B.
a part of speech expressing action, condition, or state of being
C.
a phrase with one or more helping verbs
D.
a verb phrase
2. The purpose of verb phrases is to:
A.
make sentences more complicated
B.
help express action or time
C.
change sentences into future tense
D.
form questions
3. A verb phrases consists of:
A.
A main verb only
B.
A subject and a verb
C.
A main verb and any helping verbs
D.
A helping verb only
Complete the sentences
with these verbs:
COOK - DO X 3 – DRINK
– DRIVE – EAT – GO HAVE X 2 – LIKE –
LISTEN – LIVE - PLAY X
2 – READ – SMOKE –
SPEAK – STUDY –
WATCH – WEAR – WORK
1. .........................fast food
2. .........................German
3. .........................children
4. .........................the guitar
5. .........................homework
6. .........................in an office
7. .........................to the cinema
8. .........................in a flat
9. .........................a cigarette
10. .........................dinner
11. .........................animals
12. .........................housework
13. .........................economics
14. .........................the newspaper
15. .........................a VW
16. .........................exercise
17. .........................glasses
18. .........................a sandwich for lunch
19. .........................tennis
20. .........................coffee
21. .........................television
22. .........................to the radio
Decide the verb phrase of each sentence below.
1. Tika and I are going to visit our college friend
tomorrow.
a. are going to visit
b. going
4. I have not met him yet.
a. have not met
b. have met
c. have not met him
c. are going
2. My parents knew I would get a good GMAT
score.
a. would get a good GMAT score
b. would get
c. Get
3. I do finish what I’ve started.
a. do
b. do finish
c. Finish
5. He won’t have been sleeping long
when you pick him up.
a. won’t have been sleeping long
b. won’t have been sleeping
c. will have been sleeping
a. is walking
9. Julia doesn’t hate working on
saturdays.
b. walking
a. doesn’t hate working
c. is walking down
b. does hate
6. She is walking down the hill now.
c. does hate working
7. You should often clean your cats’
bowl.
a. should clean
10. My nephew wants to be a
doctor.
b. often clean
a. wants
c. should often clean
b. wants to be a doctor
c. wants to be
8. They will also try the traditional
food when visiting Egypt.
a. will try
b. try
c. will also try
Identify the verb phrases in the following sentences. State whether they are main verb
phrases, present participle phrases, past participle phrases or gerunds.
1. Encouraged by her coach’s praise, Melody repeated her routine on the balance beam.
encouraged by her coach’s praise: past participle phrase, modifies Melody
repeated her routine on the balance beam: Main verb phrase, past tense verb form.
1. Barbara has persuaded the ticket agent to let her on the plane scheduled to depart
immediately.
2. Though bitten by mosquitoes, the hikers smiled as they neared the peak.
3. Described as almost a saint by his mother, Ernesto tried to live up to her expectations.
4. The jade Buddha reclining in the hall was one of three gifts sent by Sri Lankan monks.
5. Daydreaming about wooden boats was occupying more of Antonio’s time.
6. Buried in a mud slide, their Jaguar presented a pathetic sight.
7. Jane found the family cabin occupied by strangers.
8. Allegedly haunted by ghosts, the Victorian mansion was on the market for years.
9. Divers searching for pearls discovered the underwater ruins mistakenly believed by some to
be part of Atlantis.
10. Leaving for his night job, Harry saw a UFO in the sky.
11. The piano technician finally began tuning the piano designated for the student.
12. Sharon spends many weekends searching for the perfect beach.
13. Everyone attending the ethnic festival commented on the intense drumming.
14. The vegetable soup cooking on the stove is for dinner.
1. Identify the verb phrase in each sentence. The
seeds from the cacao tree are processed for chocolate.
a. the seeds
b. from the cacao tree
c. are processed
d. for chocolate
2. Identify the verb phrase in each sentence. The
ancestors of people in Mexico have been credited
with the discovery of chocolate.
a. the ancestors
b. of people
c. have been credited
d. discovery of chocolate
3. Identify the verb phrase in each sentence.The
Maya and the Aztec peoples did process chocolate
centuries ago.
a. the Aztec peoples
b. did process
c. the Maya
d. centuries ago
4. Identify the verb phrase in each
sentence. Did they mix the ground seeds
with spices and water?
a. did mix
b. the ground seeds
c. with spices
d. with spices and water
5. Identify the verb phrase in each
sentence. Such a mixture could have been
the first chocolate drink.
a. such a mixture
b. first chocolate drink
c. could have been
d. a mixture could
6. Identify the verb phrase in each sentence. By
the 1600s hot chocolate had become popular in
Europe.
a. by the 1600s
b. hot chocolate
c. in Europe
d. had become
9. Identify the main verb phrase in the verb
phrase. Have you ever read anything about
the cacao tree?
a. have
b. Read
c. You
d. anything
7. Identify the verb phrase in each sentence. Its
taste and texture have changed over the years.
a. its taste
b. and texture
c. over the years
d. have changed
10. Identify the main verb phrase in the
verb phrase. It can grow only in tropical
climates.
a. can
b. Grow
c. Only
d. climates
8. Identify the verb phrase in each sentence. Its
many varieties are enjoyed by people the over
world
a. are enjoyed
b. its many varieties
c. by people
d. the world over