What Is a Verb Phrase?

A verb phrase consists of an auxiliary, or helping, verb and a main verb. The helping verb always
precedes the main verb.

A helping verb includes forms of be, such as am, is, are, was, were, being, and been; forms of have, such
as has and had; forms of do, such as does and did; forms of can, such as could, will, would, and shall; and
forms of should, such as may, might, and must.

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.

2. Nonfinite Verb Phrase

In this type of verb phrase, the head verb is participle, gerund, or infinitive. For instance:

She is hearing someone crying for help.

Common Use of Verb Phrase

 Despite his knee injury, he did go to gym.

Here “did go” is a verb phrase.

 Mary is going with me to school.

“Is coming” is a verb phrase. “Coming” 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.”
Simple verb phrases

A simple verb phrase consists of a main verb. The verb in a simple verb phrase shows the type of clause
(e.g. declarative, imperative):

Your camera takes fantastic pictures. (present simple, declarative clause)

Dress smartly. Arrive on time. (imperative clauses)

Complex verb phrases

A complex verb phrase may include one modal verb and one or more auxiliary verbs before the main
verb. A modal verb always comes before any auxiliary verbs:

(mo = modal verb; aux = auxiliary verb; mv = main verb)

House prices [MO]could [MV]fall during the next six months. (modal verb + main verb)

You [MO]may [AUX]have [MV]played this game before. (modal verb + one auxiliary verb)

The work [MO]should [AUX]have [AUX]been [MV]finished by 30 January. (modal verb + two
auxiliary verbs)

Meaning of auxiliary verbs in verb phrases

Auxiliary verbs give different types of meanings to a verb phrase.

auxiliary verb (+ form of main

meaning example
verb)

continuous be + -ing form I was thinking about you all day.

perfect have + -ed form The girls have all gone out together.

Val’s car was stolen from outside her

passive be + -ed form
house.
 auxiliary verb (+ form of main
meaning example
verb)

interrogative do + subject + base form Do they sell newspapers in your local shop?

negative do + not + base form It didn’t last very long.

It does annoy me when they make so much

emphatic do (stressed) + base form
noise.

Order of verbs in verb phrases

The continuous, perfect and passive meanings of auxiliary verbs may be combined in a verb phrase, and
auxiliary verbs may combine with modal verbs.

The order of the different types (and meanings) of verbs in the verb phrase is shown in the table as 1–5,
from left to right.

1 2 3 4 5

subject modal verb perfect have continuous be passive be main verb

must be must be must be must be

followed by followed by - followed by - followed by -
base form edform ingform edform

Prices rose.

She will understand.

 1 2 3 4 5

subject modal verb perfect have continuous be passive be main verb

must be must be must be must be

followed by followed by - followed by - followed by -
base form edform ingform edform

The builders had arrived.

The show is starting.

Four people were arrested.

Seats cannot be reserved.

The printer should be working.

He must have forgotten.

Temperatures have been rising.

William has been promoted.

You could have been killed!

Function

There are various functions verb phrases perform. They serve as phrase heads, as predicates, modifiers,
compliments, and objects. Verb phrases also function as noun phrase modifiers, containing a word and
phrase, and describing noun or noun phrase. They also work as adjective phrase complements, and verb
phrase complements. In traditional grammar, verb phrases function as predicates, adding meaning to
sentences. In fact, verb phrases make a sentence semantically clear and comprehendible for readers.