Main Verb: This is the core of the verb phrase, indicating the action or state of being.
Helping Verbs: These verbs come before the main verb and provide information about the action or state of being. They can indicate:
* Tense: past, present, future (e.g., "have eaten," "will be going")
* Mood: indicative, imperative, subjunctive (e.g., "should have studied," "might have been")
* Voice: active or passive (e.g., "was eaten," "is being built")
* Emphasis: (e.g., "do go," "did eat")
Examples:
* I *am going* to the store. (Verb phrase: "am going")
* They *have been working* hard. (Verb phrase: "have been working")
* She *will be able to finish* the project. (Verb phrase: "will be able to finish")
* He *should have told* her the truth. (Verb phrase: "should have told")
Common Helping Verbs:
* be (am, is, are, was, were, being, been)
* have (has, had, having)
* do (does, did)
* can, could, may, might, must, shall, should, will, would
Note:
* A verb phrase can be short (e.g., "is reading") or long (e.g., "has been working diligently").
* Some verbs can function as both main verbs and helping verbs (e.g., "be").
* The verb phrase is essential for forming complete sentences.