Overview
A verb phrase consists of a main verb together with its auxiliaries and any modifiers. Examples: has been working, will be completed, could have been seen. The verb phrase is the core of the predicate and carries information about tense, aspect, voice, and modality in a sentence.
What Is a Verb Phrase?
- main verbEvery verb phrase has one main verb as its head.
- auxiliariesAuxiliary verbs add tense, aspect, voice, or mood.
- simpleShe works — single main verb.
- complexShe has been working — aux + aux + main verb.
- passiveThe report was written — passive verb phrase.
Common Structures
- presentam/is/are + -ing → She is studying.
- perfecthave/has + past participle → He has finished.
- modalmodal + base verb → They might leave.
- passivebe + past participle → It was cancelled.
- perfect cont.have been + -ing → She has been waiting.
Common Mistakes
- ❌ She has went → ✅ She has gone
- ❌ They are work → ✅ They are working
- ❌ It was wrote → ✅ It was written
- ❌ He might to go → ✅ He might go
When to use
Expressing Tense
She has been studying for two hours.
Passive Voice
The bridge was built in 1990.
Modality
You should have told me earlier.
Aspect
They were playing when it started raining.