Home Grammar Serving to Verbs & Verb Phrases

Serving to Verbs & Verb Phrases

0
Serving to Verbs & Verb Phrases

[ad_1]

Serving to verbs (auxiliary verbs) do exactly what their title implies. They assist the primary verb within the sentence by telling extra concerning the verb’s tense, temper, and voice. 

Primary Verbs, Serving to Verbs, & Verb Phrases

There are lots of, many verbs that may perform as predominant verbs (stroll, run, assume, say, sleep, appear and many others.), however there are solely a handful of verbs that may perform as serving to verbs.

Record of Serving to Verbs

be, am, is, are, was, 

have been, been, being, have, has, had,

might, ought to, would, might, would possibly,

should, shall, can, will, do, did, does, having

After we put a number of serving to/auxiliary verb with a predominant verb, we get what is known as a verb phrase. 

(Each sentence must have not less than one predominant verb, however not each sentence wants a serving to/auxiliary verb.)

Serving to Verb(s)

+  Primary Verb 

= Verb Phrase

might

eat

might eat

might have

eaten

might have eaten

may need been

listening

may need been listening

Earlier than we transfer on, I must let you know one thing vital. Are you prepared? Good! The verbs on that record above can perform as serving to verbs. That wording is essential as a result of a few of these phrases may perform as predominant verbs. Let us take a look at an instance utilizing the phrase was.

I was sleeping throughout the soccer recreation. 

Was sleeping is a verb phrase. Was is a serving to verb, and sleeping is a predominant verb.

I was captain of the soccer group.

This sentence doesn’t have a verb phrase. Right here, was is the primary verb. It is a linking verb.

Typically, the serving to and predominant verbs are separated by different phrases. This typically occurs after we ask questions. With questions, the auxiliary verb tends to come back at the start of the sentence, and the primary verb comes later.

Phrases like by no means, not, and the contraction n’t will not be a part of the verb. They’re adverbs.

Sentence

Verb Phrase

Have you been sitting in my chair?

Have been sitting

Do you know Goldilocks?

Do know

No, I don’t know her.

do know

Psst! Have you ever ever heard of modal verbs? Modals are a kind of serving to verb that present the speaker’s angle about what they’re speaking. 

Verb Phrases Act as Verbs

This appears apparent, proper? They’re made up of verbs, so what else would they be performing as?

The purpose right here is that they’re made up of a number of phrases and all the phrases come collectively to act as one a part of speech, a verb. 

The cheesecake is perhaps exploding.

May be exploding is telling us what the cheesecake is doing. It is performing as a single unit: a verb.

Did name is asking what you did. It is performing as a single unit: a verb.

Owen has turn out to be an awesome cook dinner.

Has turn out to be is telling us Owen’s state of being. It is performing as a single unit: a verb.

Sentence diagrams will help us see that verb phrases perform as verbs. Sentence diagrams are photos of sentences that present us how elements of a sentence are associated. They make the relationships between phrases, phrases, and clauses visible.

Basic sentence diagram

Verb phrases are diagrammed within the verb slot of the sentence diagram. They go on a horizontal line proper after the topic. The entire phrases within the verb phrase go in the identical slot as a result of all the phrases are coming collectively to perform because the verb!

Sentence Diagram Verb Phrase

Do not forget that verb phrases are made up of not less than one serving to verb and a predominant verb.

Basic Diagram Helping Verb

Let us take a look at an instance sentence diagram with an precise sentence. 

Verb Phrase Sentence Diagram

She should have jumped throughout the stream.

Should and have are serving to verbs, and jumped is a predominant verb. These three verbs collectively type a verb phrase. 

Do not Get Tricked

The phrase of by no means acts as a serving to verb, so would of, might of, and ought to of are incorrect. They aren’t verb phrases.

The proper variations are would have, might have and ought to have or would’ve, might’ve, and ought to’ve.

You may be taught extra about this error right here

Would of Lesson Video

There you could have it! Now you are a professional at figuring out and understanding serving to verbs! 

If you would like to karate chop your method by means of grammar, you could take a look at our Get Good Grammar Program!

It will prevent time and heartache, and it’ll carry you well-earned confidence. 

The Get Smart Grammar Program

[ad_2]