Here's a breakdown:
* Main Verb: This is the core of the verb phrase and shows the action or state of being.
* Helping Verbs: These verbs work with the main verb to provide additional information, like tense, voice, or mood.
Examples of Verb Phrases:
* Is walking (Helping verb "is" + main verb "walking")
* Have been working (Helping verbs "have" and "been" + main verb "working")
* Will be studying (Helping verb "will" and "be" + main verb "studying")
* Could have gone (Helping verbs "could" and "have" + main verb "gone")
Key Points:
* Verb phrases can be quite complex and involve multiple helping verbs.
* The order of helping verbs is usually fixed:
* Modal Verb (will, may, should, etc.)
* Be Verbs (am, is, are, was, were, etc.)
* Have Verbs (have, has, had, etc.)
* Not all verb phrases have helping verbs. If there's only one verb in the sentence, it's a verb phrase by itself.
Understanding verb phrases is essential for accurately identifying the verb in a sentence and understanding its meaning and function.