Verb Phrase: Definition and Examples
Verb Phrase in English Grammar
Verb phrases play a very important part in constructing sentences in English. No English sentence can be formed without verbs or verb phrases. Therefore, English language learners must have a clear understanding of them.
In this article, we're going to provide you with a complete guide to verb phrases. As you walk through the entire article, you'll explore a number of new things about verbs and verb phrases in English.
Let's dive into the topic!
What is a Verb Phrase?
In generative English grammar, a verb phrase (VP) must have at least one main verb or one main verb plus other types of verbs such as modal verbs or auxiliary verbs.
In simple words, a single main verb or a main verb combined with modal verbs or auxiliary verbs is called a verb phrase.
Examples:
(a) He goes.
(b) He can go.
(c) He is going.
In example (a), goes is a verb phrase which consists of only one main verb. In example (b), can go is a verb phrase which consists of one modal verb (can) and one main verb (go).
In example (c), is going is a verb phrase which consists of one auxiliary verb ( is) and one main verb with -ing (going).
Types of Verb Phrases in English
There are basically two types of verb phrases in English based on how many parts a verb contains. They're given as under:
1. Simple verb phrase
2. Complex verb phrase
Simple verb phrase: it is a verb phrase which contains only one single main verb.
Examples:
(a) He runs.
(b) Rocky smiled.
In both examples (a) and (b), both runs and smiled are used singly. They don't have modal or auxiliary verbs, so they're called simple verb phrases.
Complex verb phrase: it is a verb phrase which consists of one main verb plus other types of verbs like modal or auxiliary verbs. Complex verb phrases have many types which are discussed below.
Examples:
(a) She can speak two languages.
(b) He has left for India today.
In example (a) can speak is a verb phrase because it consists of one modal verb (can) and one main verb (speak). In example (b), has left is a verb phrase which consists of one auxiliary or helping verb (has) and one main verb (left). Therefore, they are called complex verb phrases.
Different Types of Complex Verb Phrases with Examples
1. Progressives in active and passive tenses
Present progressive and past progressive in active and passive tenses fall under this category of complex verb phrase.
Examples:
(a) He is eating a mango. (active present progressive)
(b) He was eating a mango. (active past progressive)
(c) A mango is being eaten by him. (passive present progressive)
(d) A mango was being eaten by him. (passive past progressive)
In examples (a), (b), (c) and (d), is eating, was eating, is being eaten and was being eaten are complex verb phrases.
2. Perfectives in active and passive tenses
Present perfectives and past perfectives in both active and passive tenses come under this category of complex verb phrase.
Examples:
(a) He has eaten a mango. (active present perfective)
(b) He had eaten a mango. (active past perfective)
(c) A mango has been eaten by him. (passive present perfective)
(d) A mango had been eaten by him. (passive past perfective)
Has eaten, had eaten, has been eaten and had been eaten are all complex verb phrases.
3. Perfect progressives in active tense
Present and past perfect progressives fall under this type of complex verb phrase.
Examples:
(a) He has been eating a mango for 20 minutes.
(b) He had been eating a mango for 20 minutes.
has been eating and had been eating are complex verb phrases in these two examples.
4. Progressives with modals in active tense
Examples:
(a) He must be reading this book tomorrow at this time.
(b) You should be speaking English all the time.
In examples (a) and (b) above, must be reading and should be speaking are complex verb phrases which consist of a modal verb (must and should), an auxiliary verb (be) and a main verb (reading and speaking)
5. Perfectives with modals in active tense
Examples:
(a) I must have completed my assignment by tomorrow.
(b) If you had worked hard, you would have passed the test.
Must have completed and would have passed are complex verb phrases in the examples above which contain a modal (must and would), a perfective auxiliary (have) and a main verb (completed and passed).
Functions of Verb Phrases
Different verb phrases have different functions. Some express the time and tense of the action such as progressive and perfectives, while others express modality.
Examples:
(a) He is eating a mango.
(b) He has eaten a mango.
(c) A mango is being eaten by him.
(d) He can eat more than 10 mangoes at one time.
In example (a), is eating tells that the time is now, the action is going on, and the tense is active present progressive. In example (b), has eaten says that the time is before now, the action is complete, and the tense is active present perfect.
In example (c), is being eaten suggests that the time is now, the action is going on, and the tense is passive present progressive. In example (d), can eat expresses modality- ability.
Most Common Verb Phrase Structures
1. Progressive auxiliary verb(s) + main verb with -ing or in 3rd form
Examples:
(a) is eating
(b) was eating
(c) is being eaten
(d) was being eaten
2. Perfective auxiliary verb (s) + main verb in 3rd form
Examples:
(a) has/have eaten
(b) had eaten
3. Perfect progressive auxiliary verbs + main verb with -ing form
Examples:
(a) has/have been eating
(b) had been eating
4. Modal verbs + base form of main verb
Examples:
(a) can eat.
(b) may go.
5. Modal verbs + be + main verb with -ing form
Examples:
(a) Must be eating
(b) will be sleeping
6. Modal verbs + have + main verb 3
Examples:
(a) would have passed
(b) should have gone
FAQs – Verb Phrase Definition and Examples
What is a verb phrase example?
How to identify a verb phrase?
You can identify a verb phrase very easily because a verb phrase contains either a single main verb as in He goes or an auxiliary verb plus main verb as in He is going or a modal verb plus a main verb as in He can go or a modal verb plus an auxiliary verb and a main verb as in He should have gone.
What are the 10 examples of verb phrase?
1. John runs.
2. John was running.
3. He can lift 200kg.
4. You should have gone.
5. You may go now.
6. A mango is eaten.
7. A man was asked to go there.
8. I have been waiting here for 2 hours.
9. I will go to the market today.
10. I might think about it.
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