Transcript Document

Verb Phrase
Verb phrase—consists of a
main verb preceded by
at least one helping verb
(auxiliary verb)
Besides all forms of the verb be,
helping verbs include
Forms of Be:
am
is
are was
be
being
been
were
Forms of Do:
Do
does
did
Forms of Have:
Have
has
had
Other Helping Verbs:
can
could
should
may
must
would
might
shall
will
Notice how helping verbs work
together with main verbs to make a
complete verb phrase.
EXAMPLE:
is leaving may become
might have remained
had seemed
should move
might have thought
shall be going could jump
does sing
Sometimes the parts of a
verb phrase are interrupted
by other parts of speech.
• Did you hear President
Bush’s speech?
• Has the D.J. played the
new CD for you?
EXAMPLE:
She had always been thinking
of her future.
We could never have moved the
bleachers.
NOTE:
The word not is always an
adverb. It is never part of
a helping verb, even when it
is joined to a verb as the
contraction –n’t.
He should not have borrowed
his book.
He shouldn’t have borrowed
his book.