simple intro to verb phrases: helping verbs and main verbs

1. Verb
Phrases

2. A Verb Phrase Has Two
Parts
Helping Main Verb
Verb
NOTE:
The main verb is
often an action
verb but not
always.

3. Rule
The helping verb ALWAYS comes
BEFORE the main verb.
It begins the verb phrase.
EX 1: Melvin was driving down the
street.
helping action
Ex 2: Did you see Melvin’s truck
earlier?
helping action

4. These Are the Helping
Verbs
be have can will
is has could shall
am had would being
are do should
was does may
If you read the
were did must columns
been might downwards, they
fit to the tune of
“London Bridge”
which is an easy

5. More Rules!
There can be more than one helping verb in a
verb phrase.
Sometimes there is a word between the
helping verb(s) and the main verb called an
adverb.
An adverb is not a verb, so it is NOT a part of
the verb phrase.
Adverbs modify (impact the meaning) of a
verb. For example, it might clarify how
often something happens:
always, never, sometimes, frequently, rarel
y, occasionally. Or, it might make a positive
statement into a negative statement with the

6. Warning!
The list in the previous slide is of HELPING
VERBS.
Most of the verbs in the list can also play
the role of another type of verb when not
in a verb phrase.
Some of them are being verbs
(be, is, am, are, was, were, been, etc.)
Some of them are action verbs
(have, has, had, do, does, did, etc.)
When you sing the song, you are listing
HELPING VERBS!

7. Find the Verb
Phrase
Johnny was singing softly while working.
The fox had raced around the tree before
finding a hole.
Some of the students were picking up
their trash each time they ate in the
cafeteria.

8. Find the Verb
Phrase
The cat will be hiding when Missy arrives
home and finds the empty fishbowl.
Often, Ms. Taliaferro does find time to
read aloud, but unfortunately not every
day.
If Charlie chooses, he could work as a chef
one day.

9. Don’t Be Fooled
Sometimes there is a word in the middle
of the verb phrase.
It is not part of the verb phrase.
“not” is NOT a verb – so it can’t be part of the verb phrase
Ex: George is not wearing the sweater his
grandmother knitted for him.
“also” is NOT a verb – so it can’t be part of the verb phrase
Ex: Sheila was also dancing up a storm!